Incarceration
by transmutejun
Summary: Part II of my Trials trilogy. Princess is forced to endure life in a Spectran prison, while remaining under Zoltar's merciless eye
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I wasn't dead.

Normally, this wouldn't have been much of a statement, but it was the first thing to cross my mind as I regained consciousness. My last memory was of fighting for my life inside the Spectran Hall of Light, having just been pronounced guilty of being a traitor and sentenced to immediate execution. I had reached behind me and felt a searing pain…

I cracked open my eyes, groaning as I pulled my arm in front of me. Unlike the last time I had seen this part of my body, it was no longer encased in a metal restraint. Instead I was clothed in unfamiliar grey garments. Clumsily I pushed up the rough material of my sleeve, revealing a long, red welt on my arm. It was raised, but didn't appear to be infected.

I hadn't been killed. That in itself was amazing. At this moment, it was too astounding to even begin to think why this was. I had to focus on my current circumstances.

I had been intensely focused on survival and escape for the past few days, and it was a difficult habit to break. Even now, before I had risen to a sitting position, my eyes were moving around the room, assessing the situation as quickly as I could. At the moment I was inside a metallic chamber similar to the one I had occupied during my trial. However unlike that cell, this one had a small window cut in the upper middle portion of the door. Cautiously I stood up, moving over to the wall, placing my body next to the door, peering sideways to see what I could through the window.

Nothing.

Gradually I moved closer, until I could almost see out the entire side of the window, then ducked down below, looking up from the edge. I repeated this maneuver on the opposite side of the door. Harsh, artificial light was coming from beyond the doorway, yet there was nothing outside save a featureless metal corridor, constructed in a similar fashion as the endless corridors with which I had already become familiar at Spectran Military Headquarters.

Was I still there? Or had I been moved to a different location?

I glanced down, realizing that I was now garbed in baggy, grey clothing made of a rough fabric. The garments had long sleeves and legs, and there were some kind of slipper-socks on my feet. I didn't even want to think about how I had gotten into these clothes. At least I didn't have to worry about what had happened to my civilian attire. Thanks to the changes Chief Anderson had made to our G-Force uniforms, I had been able to burn out the fiber optic circuits and microscopic data chips embedded in the fabric. When the Spectrans tested them, they would appear to be no different from normal clothes, and would likely be destroyed in short order. At least I had managed to protect Galaxy Security secrets, to the best of my ability.

What had happened while I had been out? Where was Jason? Had the Spectrans captured him as well, or had he managed to escape? Knowing Jason, I presumed the latter. It was a small comfort to know that it was likely that my predicament was not shared with my friend. Even more, I was glad that it was not Mark who was here in this cell, held prisoner by Zoltar. The Commander of G-Force would be a valuable prize for the Spectran Leader, and I was pleased to have cheated Zoltar of his 'trophy'.

Of course it was more than that. I would give anything to keep Mark safe, just as I knew he would do the same for me. If I remained free while Mark was being held prisoner… well, that wouldn't truly be freedom at all.

Still, that didn't mean that I was planning on staying here. I would do whatever I could to escape, no matter how long it took. Unfortunately that was unlikely to occur anytime soon. I was in a far worse position, in terms of resources available to me, than I had been in before. I had failed to escape then; any attempt now would require significant planning and flawless execution. This wasn't something that could be accomplished overnight.

Neither did I anticipate rescue. The G-Force Team had already tried to rescue me once, and had clearly failed. While I was certain that they would continue to try, locating me was bound to be difficult, not to mention gaining access to the planet Spectra. However difficult it had been before, it would be doubly so now.

Before I could take these morose thoughts any further, the door began to open. I stepped back, uncertain as to what was about to happen.

To my surprise, there was no one there. Curiously I stared at the open portal. Was this some kind of trick?

"Step into the hallway." a voice ordered. It sounded like it was coming from the corridor itself. I hesitated, unwilling to blindly obey an invisible order from an unknown source.

"Now," the voice was calm, but there was an underlying tone of menace, "unless you want to be in your cell when it goes through acidic sterilization." I wasn't entirely certain what 'acidic sterilization' was, but I got the hint: move or get hurt. Tentatively, I took a step forward.

"Wasn't it made obvious that you were supposed to _move_?" the voice barked, nearly making me jump in surprise. "Sterilization will commence in 3… 2…"

I stepped through the doorway and into the corridor beyond. Everything shone with a strange, bluish light. Yet on further inspection, I realized that it wasn't the corridor itself; I was surrounded by force fields. On either side of me were long walls made of condensed energy, forcing me to walk on a predetermined pathway down the hall. Gingerly I moved forward, noting that another energy wall appeared behind me the moment I stepped away from the door.

I looked around, for the first time noticing a Spectran soldier who had been standing behind my door, blocking my view of him when I had been in the cell. However unlike the soldiers with whom I was familiar, this man's uniform was blue, which created a bit of a camouflaging effect, as I was looking at him through the faint blue light of the force field.

"What's going on here?" I asked.

"You were ordered to the Dining Hall." the soldier snarled. "So apparently you're going to eat."

"Either that, or I'm going to be eaten." I muttered. The guard clearly heard my remark, but was apparently unimpressed with my gallows humor.

"Just get going." he snapped. "You won't like what happens if you delay." Something in his voice made me turn my head. The energy wall behind me was moving. Instantly, I understood. My fingers accidentally brushed the wall to my left, and I nearly jumped with surprise. Yet I felt nothing, other than the physical presence of the barrier.

Without commenting further, I shuffled forward, keeping an eye on the progress of the force field behind me. It flicked with electric charges, and I gathered that this wall wasn't as benign as the ones to my sides and front. I gauged its speed, and kept up my own accordingly. There was no reason to rush to please these Spectrans.

After a few minutes, I saw that the field was heading toward a set of double doors. The blue walls around me widened, accommodating their destination. The guard motioned for me to stop, then pressed something into a keypad on the wall. The force field behind me stopped moving, and the doors began to swing open. I could see that the inside was brightly lit.

"Well go on!" the soldier huffed. "I don't have all day!"

I stepped forward, moving into what I supposed was the Dining Hall. As I entered, nearly a hundred eyes rose to acknowledge my presence. Approximately four dozen women were seated at long tables and benches, eating from trays. They were all dressed as I was, but there the similarities ended.

In the sea of blonde and light brown hair, my dark head and green highlights stood out like a sore thumb. Their thin cheeks, lips, and overall features seemed almost austere when compared to my rounded face. A couple of the women were standing, interrupted in the act of carrying trays across the room, and their tall, slim, angular bodies made my hourglass figure appear rotund in comparison. Their bearing and movements indicated a degree of sophistication and experience I did not possess; it was clear that these women were all older than I was, by perhaps five to ten years.

I was the odd person out, and they knew it.

Despite being a member of G-Force for the past three years, I was still only eighteen years old. I had never actually been to a 'real' school, or even mingled much with other women my own age. I knew nothing of cliques and 'status' in this kind of environment. Add to this the fact that while I had been schooled in the varying cultures of Federation planets, I knew next to nothing about Spectran society. The idea that I would have to 'fit in' to this group, looking so much like an outsider, frankly terrified me.

Refusing to show any weakness, I swallowed back my fear, walking through the Dining Hall, toward a counter at the back of the room where a bored-looking Spectran soldier was serving food. When I reached the counter he assessed my presence in a bored fashion.

"Oh, great. Someone new." he grumbled, dumping a heaping spoonful onto a plate. The fare appeared to be the same starch mixed with vegetables that I had been given when I had first arrived on Spectra. He passed the dish toward me, then gestured curtly to a small shelf that held flimsy plastic eating utensils that resembled spoons. Next to the shelf stood a plastic beverage dispenser and a stack of thin paper cups. When I poured out a little of the beverage, I saw that it was the same purple liquid that I had been served before, during my trial. Tavis had called it gattan, and had also confirmed that it was drugged. Frowning, I surreptitiously dumped the small amount in my cup into the drain at the bottom of the beverage dispenser.

Carrying my plate, I turned around, moving back toward the tables. There were five of them, each holding approximately ten diners, five on each side. Most of the tables were obviously full, but despite this, I noticed that many of the women seemed to shuffle their bodies around, blocking what little space might remain at the end of their benches. The message was clear. No one wanted to sit next to me. I suddenly felt as if I was in elementary school and had the cooties.

There was one table in the middle of the floor that was only about half full. As I approached, the six women present stared up at me, their eyes flat and unwelcoming.

"May I sit here, please?" I asked politely, as if this were a tea party.

"No."

I smiled winningly at the stern woman who had just turned me down. Her facial expression didn't change one iota.

"I'm sorry you feel that way," I beamed in a sickly sweet voice, "because I'm sitting here regardless."

"So why'd you ask, anyway?" the woman appeared curious, despite herself.

"Because I wanted to see how bitchy you women truly are." I sat down just as my meaning hit her. Her eyes narrowed, and her face flushed under her short, platinum hair.

"You don't know the meaning of the word." the woman threatened coldly. "Filthy offworlder! Do you know what we Spectrans think of inferior races?"

"Unfortunately, I've had far too much experience with that particular prejudice, yes." I replied calmly, taking a bite of my 'meal'. This starch was bland, in comparison with the spicy version I had had during my first night on Spectra.

A flicker at the corner of my eye was the only warning I had, but it was enough. I flung a spoonful of food toward the woman lunging at me from the aisle to my left, hitting her eyes and blinding her for a brief moment. I swung my leg out into the aisle, performing a sweep to knock her down to the floor. She fell in an undignified heap, her light brown hair flying.

"As I said, I've had some experience with this kind of thing." I continued airily, as if nothing untoward had occurred. The brunette scrambled to her feet, glaring at me and readying another attack, but the blonde put up her hand in a 'stand down' gesture. I nodded carefully, understanding that this woman was the one calling the shots.

"It seems you have." the blonde replied coolly. "Tell me where you obtained this 'experience'." By now it was clear that everyone in the room was avidly listening to our conversation. That was all for the better. I didn't need to prove myself to these women individually. Once was enough.

"Fighting Spectran soldiers." I smirked. "Why do you think I'm in this place?"

"Fighting against the Empire?" The woman twisted her lips wryly. "You've certainly got that in common with everyone here."

"Everyone?" I was confused. "Everyone here is…?"

"Is a prisoner of state." the blonde confirmed, eyeing me closely. "You really didn't know that, did you? What did you think landed you in a Traitor's Prison?"

"Traitor's Prison?" I repeated, surprised.

"Norei, she can't be a traitor!" a darker blonde whispered to the platinum-haired woman. "She's clearly not Spectran!"

"That's what I told them at my trial." I remarked offhandedly. "Unfortunately for me, the Great Spirit thought differently."

"The Great Spirit?" Norei frowned. "You're lying to us. No one gets away with that!"

"I'm not lying." I shrugged. "But if you want to think so, you can."

"Dimal!" Norei snapped, and the brunette to my left moved again. This time I jumped up out of my seat, evading her grasp by leaping onto the table.

"Prisoner Swan!" a loud voice boomed around the hall. "You are in violation of Dining Hall rules. You will return to your cell!"

"Fair enough." I shrugged. "It's just too bad I'll have to leave this 'welcoming ceremony' early."

Dimal glared at me as I jumped lightly down to the floor, Norei stared, her eyes narrowing. The other women in the room simply gaped as I walked casually to the door, which swung open, revealing the force field pathway once more.

Without looking back, I stepped into the corridor.

88888

I followed the blue energy walls back to my cell, this time without an escort. As I walked I looked around, realizing that I was passing through blocks of cells, all with plain doors bearing one small window. There were no distinguishing marks on the doors or walls, not even a number. I wondered how the Spectrans knew where everyone was kept.

The door to my cell opened when I arrived, and I entered obligingly. While I wanted to escape, it was clear that the security here was like nothing I had ever seen. Besides that, I had fewer resources. What I needed was information.

My brief encounter with the other prisoners had provided far more of that than I had hoped. I was apparently incarcerated in some kind of women's facility for Spectran traitors. The security and surveillance here was unbelievable. Still, no matter how sophisticated, there had to be flaws. I simply had to discover what they were, and exploit them. That was my specialty, after all.

I pondered my meeting with Norei. It appeared that she was some kind of leader, as the other women followed her actions and commands. Yet none of them seemed very fond of me, as a non-Spectran. It was a level of racial hatred I hadn't encountered before. Even Zoltar and the Spectran soldiers we fought seemed to hate the G-Force Team more because we resisted them, than because we weren't Spectrans. At the same time, these women were here because they had been fighting Spectran soldiers.

Could it be that these Spectran 'traitors' weren't happy mixing with other planets? That they opposed the war with the Federation on that pretext? Or were there other issues, of which I was unaware, underlying their actions? This was certainly information that would interest Galaxy Security, and could possibly help with an escape attempt. I needed to find out what these women had done to be sent here.

My interactions with Spectran women had been few and far between. On occasion G-Force had encountered the Galaxy Girls, an elite fighting force, and I knew that there were a few women working as Spectran agents, such as Mala (who operated under the names S-9 and Hanna, among others) and Madame Dumane. Yet unlike the staff at Galaxy Security, Spectran soldiers, officers, researchers and administrative personnel were almost exclusively male. Perhaps there was some kind of oppressive system here that favored males? Or was it the other way around, that women were considered too valuable to risk on the front lines? Regardless, it seemed that I had a prime opportunity to gather information.

If only I could convince these women to open up to me.

Of course, things hadn't started off very well, but I felt good about my brief interactions with the other prisoners. They already knew that I couldn't be bullied and would defend myself, if necessary. Somehow I sensed that the way to earn their respect, if not their friendship, was to portray myself as a strong, capable woman. They wouldn't think much of a weakling, nor did I want to come across as such.

I was lost in these thoughts, unaware of time passing, until my cell door opened once more.

"Step into the hallway." a voice ordered. As before, I was unable to see the person giving the command. Still, since I now knew what awaited me in the corridor, I wasn't nearly as apprehensive as I had been earlier.

"Okay." I shrugged casually, like I was humoring my unseen director. I left the cell, noting that the force fields now stretched in the opposite direction from the one I had taken earlier, to get to the Dining Hall.

"Where am I going?" I asked the guard standing beside the door.

"You've been summoned for questioning." the guard yawned. It was a different man from before, and he appeared bored with this duty. Yet I was far from bored. Questioning? That sounded interesting… as well as ominous. My pace slowed imperceptibly.

Yet I had little choice. As before, the crackling wall of force followed me, forcing me to progress along the pre-determined path. I arrived at a door emblazoned with the Spectran devil logo.

Twin panels slid upward into the wall, creating an opening in front of me. I continued at my same, measured pace, unwilling to let my apprehension show through. In the chamber beyond stood a single wooden chair, illuminated by bright lights. Other than this one piece of furniture, the room appeared to be empty.

"Sit."

The guard who had been next to my cell was outside in the hallway, the force field creating a blue glimmer between us. I shrugged, slowly walking into the room and carefully seating myself on the wooden chair, half-expecting part of it to jump out and restrain me. Instead, it was the force field that appeared, spontaneously generating itself around the illuminated circle.

The door through which I had entered closed, and another one opened.

"I'm so glad to see you here, Princess." Zoltar sneered condescendingly, as he literally looked down his nose at me. "But I must admit, you look rather dismal. Now that you no longer have your G-Force uniform, it's clear how pathetic you truly are."

"I don't understand your point of view, Zoltar." I smiled prettily. "After all, given how you dress, it's obvious that appearances don't matter to you at all."

"There's no need for insults, Prisoner Swan." the Spectran Leader snarled. "I simply want to ensure that you are being treated appropriately. Have you been sleeping well?"

"That depends on your point of view." I replied. "I've only been sleeping when I've been drugged. Although I suppose there are people who prefer it that way, I'm not one of them."

"But you've gotten sleep." Zoltar snapped, his limited patience clearly fraying. "And you've been fed."

"I believe I had two bites, yes." I agreed. "Before I was attacked and forced to leave the Dining Hall."

"You aren't being mistreated." Zoltar growled threateningly.

"Other than being drugged, attacked while I eat and being forced to walk through the corridors under threat of being electrified by force fields?" I blinked innocently.

"What in the Great Spirit's Name is going on?" Zoltar yelled at the ceiling, clearly angry. "She was supposed to be docile! Cooperative! Now this entire effort has been wasted! There's no useable footage at all!"

"We could take her words and rearrange the phrasing…" an unfamiliar voice came from

some kind of audio system.

"That's no good! They'd know it was a fake!" Zoltar ranted. "You've botched the whole thing! Your neck is on the line, Weckor!"

"My Lord, she has only been here for a few days…"

"That was plenty of time to do what I asked!"

"Sire, I…"

"Enough! I will accept no further excuses! Tomorrow she _will_ be ready! I cannot afford to wait any longer! The people demand evidence!"

"It will be done as you command, my Lord!"

Zoltar stormed out of the room, clearly having forgotten that I was even present. The force field disappeared, and the door through which I had entered opened up once more. Almost automatically I stood, following the blue energy path back to my cell. I barely acknowledged what my body was doing, as my mind was whirling with the implications of what I had just heard.

I had plenty to think about.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Shortly after I returned to my cell, the lights were turned off without warning. The only illumination came from the dim blue glow of the force fields outside the door. I gathered this was the Spectran version of 'lights out'. I laid down on the sleeping platform, which had neither pillow nor blanket. I wondered if this was standard in Spectran culture, or if as a prisoner I was being deprived.

The events of the past hour went through my mind, precluding the possibility of sleep. What did Zoltar mean by, 'she was supposed to be docile'? That smacked ominously of the drugs I had been given. Had they wanted me 'happy' and unaware? Willing to agree to anything that was said? Fortunately, my cerebonics were able to filter out the effect of such drugs fairly well… even better than they filtered out sedatives. Chief Anderson had insisted on that: he hadn't wanted us ever to be forced to do things against our will.

And he had talked about 'useable footage'. Clearly I had been filmed, but for what purpose? Zoltar had apparently wanted to show a video of me to someone, and have them think that I was being well-treated. Someone who had the intelligence and technology to determine whether or not that video had been doctored. Galaxy Security? Were they making noises abut my welfare? But even if they were, why would Zoltar care? Why wouldn't he want to show them that he was treating me horribly, in an effort to demoralize them?

None of this made any sense. Yet one thing was certain: whatever Zoltar wanted, I wanted the opposite. Not that I wanted to be tortured or treated badly, but I certainly wasn't going to help the Spectran Leader with whatever public relations campaign he was trying to wage.

Public relations… I was suddenly reminded of how important public opinion was to Zoltar. Was that it? Was he trying to convince the Spectran population that I was being well-treated?

Once again, I wondered why this was so essential to Zoltar. I didn't understand much about Spectran politics, but it was clear to me (from my trial, if nothing else) that Zoltar ruled at the Great Spirit's behest, and he did so with an iron fist, even if he didn't necessarily want to portray himself in that light. Could it be that deep down inside, Zoltar just wanted to be loved? That he wanted to be seen as a beneficent ruler who was uniformly adored by his people?

It was possible, but somehow, I didn't think that could be it. At least, it wasn't the whole story.

It was more important than ever that I make inroads with the other prisoners. Perhaps they could help shed some light on what was happening.

88888

Eventually I did fall asleep, but it took some time. I was awoken in the morning by the lights turning on once more. This was accompanied by a loud whooping sound that lasted for approximately twenty seconds. Roughly five minutes after that, my door opened. A mechanical voice informed me that I was to step out into the corridor. Being familiar with the drill, I did as I had been ordered.

To my surprise, I wasn't alone. No guards were present, but women were stepping out of every door in the corridor. The force field was perhaps a meter in front of my face, and I had to stop. Once every prisoner had stepped outside, the wall in front of me disappeared, and I was allowed to step into the main portion of the passageway. A field blocked my access to the woman in front, and when I glanced behind, I saw that the same was true there as well. Thus compartmentalized, the line of inmates moved forward slowly, boxed in by the energy walls that isolated them from their peers.

We all had the same destination: the Dining Hall. We filed into the room one after the other, heading toward the food service area. The line moved quickly, as apparently there wasn't any choice; every woman was given a plate of the same meal, which turned out to be some kind of oatmeal-style mush. There were bits of something in it that I didn't recognize. I was shortly to determine that it was dried fruit.

Again, the only beverage choice was the purple gattan. I chose not to drink, glad for the limited supply of 'wash' water in my cell. Although I trusted my cerebonics to filter out certain drugs, my implant didn't make me impervious to everything, and I didn't have any idea what the drink contained.

As had happened the previous day, the women at the tables made it clear that they didn't want me sitting anywhere near them. The process of food distribution and seating was so efficient and orderly that by the time I had figured out that the 'persona non grata' routine was still in effect, the only table left with any space was again the one in the center of the room. The same six women sat there, and I suddenly realized that these were the 'popular kids'. Or the bullies.

Either way, these were the women I needed.

I made my way to the center table, sitting down casually as if there was nothing untoward about my behavior.

"Good morning." I nodded politely to the women, taking extra care to nod respectfully toward Norei, without appearing subservient.

"You're not wanted here." Dimal snarled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you thought you had a choice." I replied sweetly. "I need a seat, and you have space at this table. Surely no one minds."

"_We_ mind!" another woman retorted, and the others nodded their heads in agreement. Norei merely appeared thoughtful.

"Too bad for you." I shrugged.

"I think you've got that backward." a different woman intervened. "It's too bad for _you_."

"If you'd like to think so." I replied. Almost instantly, two women came at me, one from either side. I leaned back, letting them practically run into each other, until they had fallen across my lap.

"This really isn't the way I like to eat." I sighed.

The women didn't answer, but scrambled to their feet. This time they didn't hold back, coming at me with heavy punches that were clearly meant to pummel my body. What these women didn't know was that their tactics were laughably transparent, and from what little I had seen, their fighting abilities were far below the average level of a Galactor soldier.

I easily blocked their attacks, then thrust out with the flat of my hand, simultaneously smacking both women in the face and sending them crashing into the table. Plates flew up, sending breakfast mush flying. The majority splattered over my two assailants.

"Prisoner Swan!" a loud voice boomed around the hall. "You are in violation of Dining Hall rules. You have incurred an additional twenty hexons of work time. Prisoners Fanel and Partov, you are in violation of Dining Hall rules. You have each incurred an additional ten hexons of work time."

"Here we go again." I rolled my eyes. "These guys are so touchy."

"You act like a spoiled brat!" Norei muttered angrily. "It's as if you don't even know the rules!"

"Rules?" I snorted derisively. "What rules? The rule is, the Spect… uh, the guards… can do whatever they want."

"Is that what you really think?" Norei glared condescendingly, as if I were a very stupid child. "If you follow the rules, they leave you alone! How else do you think we survive?"

"So what are these 'rules'?" I asked.

"Don't treat me like an idiot." Norei hissed. "I'm insulted by your arrogance."

"I don't understand." I frowned, uncertain as to what I had done wrong. "I only just got here… well, woke up here… yesterday. I haven't heard the rules yet."

"Why did I even bother trying to talk to this worm?" Norei snarled, turning back to her comrades. "She insults me at every turn."

"I don't understand…" I repeated.

"You're acting like we haven't been there before!" Fanel growled at me. "You heard the rules when you were interviewed by Warden Weckor, just like the rest of us!" The name 'Weckor' was vaguely familiar to me, but I didn't have time now to think about the matter.

"I haven't been interviewed by the Warden."

"You expect us to believe such an obvious lie?" Dimal snorted. "_Everyone_ is interviewed by the Warden when they arrive at the Traitor's Prison!"

"I don't even remember arriving." I told them. "I just woke up in my cell."

"You 'just woke up in your cell'?" Dimal was disbelieving. "You expect us to believe that?"

"It's the truth." I shrugged.

"Finish your meals." the loud voice intoned through the room. "Your work assignments will begin in two hexons."

Hurriedly, everyone began scooping what was left of their breakfasts into their mouths. I noted that no one at this table seemed to be drinking the gattan, although many women at other tables were gulping down the beverage.

There was a loud whooping noise for a few seconds, and the women all stood up. Names were called out over the audio system, and one by one, the women moved over to the door.

"Prisoners Genalla, Partov, Thanto, Swan!"

I moved to the doorway, realizing that Partov was one of the women who had attacked me earlier. However she didn't appear to be thinking of similar action now. She stared straight ahead, seeing nothing, heading to the exit. I followed her as we entered the hallway, the now-familiar bluish walls of light guiding us to our destination. Unlike my journey before breakfast, there was no barrier between my body and the other women who were accompanying me, yet no one spoke.

We turned a few times, eventually coming to a utilitarian metal door. It swung open on hinges, rather than being pulled into the wall.

As I stepped across the threshold, I realized that we were in a laundry room. This was a large scale operation, mostly mechanical. Yet I saw a few Galactor soldiers in the blue prison uniform who were apparently overseeing the controls.

"Over here!" a soldier appeared in front of us, directing us to a side area. "You're on sorting and stain duty." The other women nodded, as if this was familiar to them, but I glanced quizzically at Partov.

"Sort the laundry by type, and spray stain remover on any stains." she hissed at me.

"Thank you." I whispered, but she did not acknowledge my words.

While the work sounded easy, I soon discovered that it was harder than it seemed. I was required to bend over, searching through massive bins of clothing, dish towels and sheets. My back began to ache, as did my arms. The stain remover was caustic and made my eyes tear. It burned my skin whenever a drop came in contact with it, even if it had to soak through my garments to do so. Each of us struggled to perform our tasks, ignoring the others.

"This is ridiculous!" I whispered after about an hour. "We'd be much more efficient if we worked together."

"Shut up, Offworlder!" Partov snapped.

"Wait… what do you mean?" one of the other two women asked wearily.

"If one of us got into the bin, they could toss out the individual items in an appropriate direction." I pointed out. "Two others could then go through those items, looking for stains. The last person could apply stain remover. We could rotate jobs every fifteen or thirty hexons."

The other three women stared at me, as if I were from an entirely different planet. The fact that this was true only added to the crawling sensation moving up and down my spine.

"It's a stupid idea." Partov declared.

"I don't know… we could try it." the weary woman shrugged.

"I'll go on stain remover duty first." I offered, knowing that it was the most onerous of the tasks involved.

"Let's try, Genalla." agreed the last prisoner.

"What's going on here?" a soldier barked, spotting us talking.

"We're just organizing our workload." Genalla replied.

"Get back to work!"

Partov jumped into the bin and began tossing out laundry items. Clothing went in one direction, sheets in another, dish towels in a third. Genalla and Thanto began checking the rapidly accumulating piles and began bringing stained pieces to me.

Soon I had a pile of stained laundry next to me. My hands began to itch as they came into contact with the stain remover more and more, but the other women did not offer to switch positions with me. However I did notice them rotating amongst themselves, alternating who got inside as each new bin was brought forth.

So much for getting to know the locals.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It seemed that we worked for hours, and when I finally had a moment to look at the clock on the wall, I was startled to realize that we had. It had been nearly three hexors: about seven hours.

The soldiers rotated shifts, and still we worked on. It wasn't until we had been working for four hexors that we were told that our task had been completed.

"Not you two." a soldier sneered at Partov and at me. "You've both got extra work detail. You're to stay here until you finish the day's bins."

"Okay." I shrugged. Partov looked sharply at me, but did not add anything further. It wasn't until the soldier had left with the other two women that Partov spoke.

"I didn't expect you to agree." she observed.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because it will take at least another hexor to finish those bins."

"Really?" I smiled. "Funny… I thought there was only one bin left."

"_One_?" Partov's eyes widened. She went back to look over the dozens of bins nearby, her mouth twitching as she confirmed that all but one of them were completely empty.

"That system of yours really worked." she admitted grudgingly, as she got into the bin and began sorting.

"You're welcome." I replied, checking the piles for stains. "Glad I could help."

"There's something strange about you." Partov observed.

"You mean, besides being an offworlder?"

"I don't know… are all offworlders like you?"

"No." I shook my head. "There are all kinds of people, just like here on Spectra."

"Interesting…" Partov appeared lost in thought.

"So… you've never met anyone who wasn't Spectran?"

"No. Why would I?" Partov practically ridiculed my question. "This is Spectra. There is no need for others to come here."

"So… no tourists? No visitors, even from other planets in the Spectran Empire?"

"No." Partov confirmed. "It is forbidden." She paused, thinking things through.

"What makes you so special?" she asked.

"Oh yeah, I'm special." I rolled my eyes. "I'm so special that I can't have a meal without being attacked."

"You sit at our table." Partov answered, as if this explained everything.

"So? It's not like there's anywhere else to sit."

"No one sits with us unless Norei says so."

"So… she's kind of the boss around here?"

"Not exactly the 'boss'… more like… our leader."

"I don't see the difference."

"She doesn't impose herself on us. But she gives us good advice. If we follow it, life is better."

"How is life better?"

"The guards don't bother us. Life is predictable. No one is punished."

"Punished?"

"You don't want to know." Partov shuddered.

"Okay…"

"Of course, the way you're going, you'll find out sooner than later."

"Yeah, why is that?" I asked. "Are they picking on me? Or am I really breaking some crazy rule by defending myself when you guys attack me?"

"You really don't know…?" Partov frowned. "It's the table. You must respect the table. Only place food on the table. No elbows, no arms… and especially no feet! There's another rule about not wasting food."

"I guess I violated both of those this morning." I replied, recalling how I had thrown Partov and her comrade down. "You know… I'm sorry about that. I hope I didn't hurt you."

"You didn't hurt me." Partov replied ruefully. "Only my pride."

"I wasn't trying to hurt you. I just didn't want to be attacked."

"We didn't want you at our table."

"I'm beginning to get that idea." I grinned.

"But you're still going to sit there, aren't you?"

"Unless I get an invitation from one of the other tables."

"That seems unlikely." Partov's mouth twitched, as if she was unused to humor.

"Smile, why don't you?" I laughed. "It looks good on you."

"I…" Partov turned her head away quickly. "I don't smile."

"Sure you do." I encouraged her. "You just did."

"I don't smile since my husband died." Partov clarified. "I'm still in mourning."

"Oh." I wasn't entirely certain how to respond to that. "I didn't realize. I'm sorry… again."

"That's okay."

"I keep messing up, don't I?" It was my turn to be rueful.

"Yes." This time there was no hint of humor.

"Since I'm messing up everything anyway, do you mind if I ask what happened to your husband?"

"You want to know?" Partov seemed surprised.

"Yes."

"He was in the armed forces." she sighed. "He was killed in an attack on Urgos. Spectra lost the battle. His death was for nothing."

"I'm sure he died knowing that he was fighting for his planet." I said uncomfortably. I was just glad that there was no way G-Force had been involved in the man's death.

"I'm sure he also died thinking of us." Partov replied angrily.

"Us?"

"Me… and our daughter, Jinra."

"Where is Jinra now?"

"She's dead too." Partov spat. "After my husband died, his pay stopped coming. I was supposed to collect his retirement funds, but the government said that there weren't any. I knew there had to be, because we had been so good about setting money aside for after the war. I went all the way to Spectre City with my daughter, but they refused to consider my request to search for the funds."

"What did you do then?" I asked, fascinated and horrified, despite myself. Spectran government agents stealing from a war widow and her child?

"I returned home, to Lantonvo, my village." Partov revealed. "But I could not find employment, because I was a mother. No one would hire a mother."

"But you needed to feed your daughter!" I protested.

"You…" Partov looked up at me, her shock evident on her face. "You think I did the right thing?"

"Of course you did!" I assured her. "Were you supposed to let your daughter starve? You were seeking honorable work!"

"That's not how Spectrans see it." Partov shook her head. "Young women may work, but once they are married, once they have children, they are no longer allowed into the workforce. By the time their children are grown, they are too old to work. They must stay at home."

"That's misogynist!" I declared, using the Federan word, since I had no idea what the word was in Spectran. "It means… hatred against women."

"We do not have a term for such things." Partov answered. "Women have a role in society. That is the way it has always been. I was lectured by everyone who saw me looking for employment. Yet… I had to try."

"Surely there must be other war widows with children." I insisted. "What are they supposed to do?"

"Live off of savings. Move back in with their families." Partov explained. "But our savings were in the retirement account. They were gone. And my family… they never approved of my marriage to Darnoll. They refused to acknowledge me, or Jinra."

"How horrible!" I gasped. "I wish… I wish I had known. That I had been able to help you."

"How could you have known?" Partov clearly didn't understand my sympathy. "You didn't know me. You are an offworlder."

"But… if I had known you… I would have helped you."

Partov stared at me strangely, as if she couldn't quite figure me out.

"So did you eventually find a job?"

"No." Partov shook her head. "We ran out of money. We were going to starve."

"So what happened?"

"One day, Tavis Demandro came to Lantonvo. He is a broadcast host on Spectra."

"I've heard of him." I said vaguely.

"He saw me begging on the street; watched everyone pass me by in disgust. Jinra was in my arms, doing her best to nurse, but my milk was running dry. Tavis… he sent me to some people."

"What kind of people?"

"Friends of his." Partov replied. "Tavis aired a story about my situation on the broadcasts. His friends helped me go back to Spectre City to protest the theft of my husband's retirement funds. But this time, I was on a live broadcast. People paid attention. Others joined us at the Administrative Hall. But they were… rough. There was a riot. Soldiers came out and shot into the crowd, to get us to disperse. But… Jinra was hit…"

Her face was utterly devastated. I reached out, tentatively placing my hand on her shoulder. She bowed her head, her grief washing over her.

"She was all I had left… I was so angry. I attacked the solder who had shot her. I scratched at his face. He was so surprised that he dropped his gun. But… I was arrested… And now I am here."

"You're here for attacking the soldier?"

"No." Partov clarified. "I am here for inciting the riot. I am a 'traitor', inciting rebellion. I caused citizens of Spectra to become violent for no good reason."

"It _was_ a good reason!" I declared, my hands clenching into fists. "You were seeking justice!"

"That is not how the government sees it." Partov's lips twisted wryly. "I am a rebel."

"Do you feel like a rebel?"

"I…" She paused, thinking before answering my question. "I didn't when I came here. But now…"

"Now it's different?"

"Now, I _do_ feel like a rebel. I want to change the government. I want to show them that I was treated unfairly. All I wanted was what was mine. I didn't want the riot. I didn't start the riot. But now, I _want_ a riot. I want the citizens to see the government for what it has become…"

"I understand." I sympathized. "I think I would feel the same, in your situation."

Our eyes met, and for an instant, I could have sworn that Partov almost smiled. Of course, I knew I had to be wrong.

Because Partov didn't smile anymore.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Once we had finished with our work, Partov and I walked up to the exit and requested release. The guard confirmed that we had completed our assigned task and then let us back into the corridor, the blue energy walls lighting our way. We walked in silence back to the Dining Hall.

Breakfast had been hurried and minimal, and there had been no lunch. My stomach was rumbling by the time we arrived for dinner. The server barely glanced at us, but I noted that he was ready to give us our meals. The food, pureed starch, similar to the previous evening, was already on the plates, and a cup of the purple gattan was waiting as well. Partov passed by the beverage, and I ignored it as well, picking up the plate only. But the server growled menacingly.

"We do not waste food! I don't think you want to break the rules again, Prisoner Swan!"

"Of course." I smiled, the gesture sour in my mouth. But it couldn't have tasted worse than drinking this stuff. I took the cup, holding it in my right hand, moving through the seating area.

As I passed the first table I slowed, noting that the woman seated at the end had an empty cup in front of her. She glared at me and I stared back, holding her gaze long enough that my hands were able to slip underneath her notice for an instant. It was all I needed. When I sat down at the center table, my cup was empty.

"You drank that?" Norei wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Just as I was thinking that you had some sense."

"Of course not." I murmured, throwing my head back and hurriedly tilting the cup, as if I was downing the beverage in one noxious gulp. "But they want me to, so I've got to oblige them, don't I?"

"We don't allow gattan at our table." Norei growled.

"You don't allow me at your table either." I reminded her. "Yet here I am."

"Only because I have decided your fate." Norei declared, a strange light coming into her eyes.

"And that is?"

"We shall battle."

It was a good thing that I hadn't actually been drinking the gattan, because I would have spat it all over the table. As it was, I nearly choked on my food.

"You want to fight me?" I queried.

"We shall see how good you really are." Norei grinned viciously. It appeared that this fight would be somewhat more challenging than the others.

"I suppose I'm not going to eat a meal in peace around here." I sighed.

"Not here!" Norei berated me. "In the Gymnasium!"

"Gymnasium?"

But no one would answer me. Once Norei had spoke, all of the others turned away, ignoring me as if I didn't even exist. It was a strange feeling, and I found myself almost missing the attacks of my previous meals. At least then these women had been interacting with me.

Surreptitiously I glanced over to the other women at the table, noting that Partov was speaking rapidly, lowering her speech enough that it would be difficult for me to hear. As it was, with my cerebonic enhancements I might have been able to listen to her, but the buzz of chatter from the other women around us provided too much interference to catch more than an occasional word.

For the first time since I had arrived in this place, I ate my food in relative peace, although the questioning glances the others sent my way did little to help my appetite. The starch tasted strange in my mouth, and I had a difficult time swallowing. I longed for a glass of water, but knew I would have to wait to return to my cell before engaging in that luxury.

A two hexon warning was given before the end of the meal, but I had already finished. I surveyed the room, watching the other women concluding their meals, or chatting if they had already done so. Other than the uniformity of clothing and lack of men present, it looked for all the world like a high school cafeteria.

Yet once the meal was officially over, the women present obeyed orders far more readily than any high school student. This time, instead of names being called, entire tables were dismissed in groups. The women lined up in almost military fashion, following each other out of the Dining Hall and into the corridors beyond. I followed curiously, wondering where we were going.

For indeed, we were all going to the same place. One long line of women, individually separated by force fields, moved down the passageways, turning when directed by the blue energy walls. Before long, we had arrived at a large, nearly empty room. A few benches were places around the walls, and one corner held a bin of… balls? A pile of mats was stacked in another alcove.

Just as I had deduced that this was the Gymnasium, Norei approached me.

"It's time to see what you're really made of." she sneered.

"If you say so." I raised an eyebrow. "I'm still not really sure what this is all about."

"It's about control." Norei smirked, leading me over to the pile of mats. "When I win, I've demonstrated to you that I'm in control."

"And what if I win?"

"Don't worry. You won't."

Norei certainly wasn't lacking in confidence. I watched her step onto the mat, her movements graceful and efficient. She was a fighter, and apparently well-trained.

All of the 'center table' women were present, standing around the mats that had been spread on the floor. Other women came to watch as well, sitting down on the floor. I got the impression that this was some kind of regular event. Perhaps Norei challenged all new prisoners in this manner?

Norei definitely had something to prove, but what it was, I wasn't certain. She didn't seem like the kind of person to physically bully everyone to her will. Partov had said that she wasn't a 'boss'. So why was it so important to her that we fight?

"Begin!" Dimal called out.

There wasn't any more time for extraneous thought. I simply stood where I was, waiting for Norei to come to me. I needed to assess her level of skill before I acted myself.

Norei jumped straight at me, her leg outstretched in a flying kick. I dropped down, tumbling aside, out of reach of the attack. My opponent, unfazed, lunged out, attempting a roundhouse kick to my head. I jumped to my right, forcing her to land and re-attempt with the opposing foot. While the followup attack was strong, I noted a definite weakness in Norei's left leg, as compared to her right.

Our sparing continued in this manner for some time: Norei attacking, causing me to dodge out of range. At first, her attacks were random, but after a few minutes I noticed that all of her moves were forcing me in one direction. I smiled, understanding what she was trying to accomplish. If she could back me up against the wall, I would have nowhere to run. She was forcing me to fight back.

From what I could see, Norei was a highly skilled fighter, far better than Dimal, Partov and Fanel. Yet she was overconfident. She assumed that no one could possibly be better than she was, and took my avoidance of her attacks as weakness. Certainly I did not wish to harm her, and wasn't about to truly fight back unless it was absolutely necessary.

I sensed the wall behind me, as Norei forced me closer and closer to the edge of the mat. But just as she shifted for a final thrust, I twisted my body, leaping up the wall and using it as a springboard to flip over her head. I landed behind my opponent. Now I was the one in the dominant position.

Quickly I grabbed her arm, twisting it behind her back and then grabbing her free wrist, pressing them both against the wall. Her gasp of surprise told me that she had not anticipated suddenly becoming the victim.

"I'm enjoying the exercise, but I don't want to fight you." I told her. "I'm happy to call this a draw."

"It is a draw because you refuse to fight!" Norei snarled, wrenching herself free. "All you know how to do is run away!"

"It is far better to avoid a fight than to waste your energy in useless combat." I quoted one of the sensei from whom I had learned.

"You speak like a coward." Norei taunted, as we began circling each other once more.

"I speak as someone who has experience in battle." I replied calmly. "Defeating the enemy may sound glorious, but it's a bloody business. Avoiding a fight is preferable, and saves lives."

"Is it worthwhile to save the life of an enemy?" Norei mocked.

"All life has value." I replied. "Sometimes it is necessary to kill, but if there is a choice…"

"There is only once choice." Norei growled. "Kill, or be killed."

The women watching had been quiet for the entire contest, yet now the silence was absolute. It was as if every spectator was holding her breath, deathly afraid of disturbing the scene of tension unfolding on the mats.

"If that if your only choice, I pity you." I replied, dropping my fighting stance and holding out my hands in a gesture of peace. "I would offer you another: coexistence."

"We cannot coexist unless we know who is in control." Norei disagreed, charging toward me. I jumped into the air, pulling up my heels until they touched my bottom, allowing her to literally pass through the empty air below me.

"_We_ are in control." I told her as I landed, watching her scramble up from where she had fallen. "We may continue to fight, or not. No one is dictating to us."

"Look around, offworlder! Spectra dictates to us! We move at their whim. We work as they say! We follow their rules." Norei's eyes blazed as she spoke. "This contest… _this_ is all that is under our control."

"I think you're wrong." I replied, leaping aside as she swept her leg toward my position.

"You are weak!" Norei hissed, jumping up with a flurry of blinding attacks. It was clear that she expected me to avoid the assault. But I was tired of this stalemate. I had seen everything she had to offer, and was unimpressed. I held my ground, blocking each attack with ease, preventing my opponent from causing any damage to my person. Her moves were well-executed, yet predictable, and in some cases it almost seemed that I was responding to her actions even before she had moved.

"Stop this!" I begged her, even as she sought to defeat me.

"Why? Are you tired?" Norei laughed.

"I'm tired of this game." I warned her. "Stop now, or I'll make it stop."

"I'd like to see you try." she challenged. "You've been coasting along this entire time."

"True enough." I acknowledged. I struck out between her blows, executing a quick hand chop to the side of her neck. Norei fell to the floor, moaning in pain. The blow would hurt for a short while, but I had done no real damage.

"I'm finished here." I told her, stepping off the mat. "There is no purpose to this."

"You're not finished until I say you're finished!" Norei pulled herself awkwardly to a stand.

"You said this was about control." I reminded her. "I control whether or not I fight. I do not choose to fight. You are not someone I wish to fight. Bring a guard in here, and that might be another story." Norei blinked rapidly in surprise, her mouth falling open.

"I won't do this again." I told her in no uncertain terms. "Are we agreed?"

I looked her straight in the eye, and something passed between us. Suddenly Norei was no longer my adversary. I wasn't entirely certain what had happened, but sensed that things had changed… for the better.

"You have proven yourself." she concurred. "It is a draw."

"You are a challenging opponent." I complimented her. "Someone I would not want to face again." I smiled slightly, hoping that she understood the implied message behind my words.

"It is not necessary." Norei agreed. "You have proven your worth."

"Then I will take my leave." I nodded, turning to leave.

The crowd of spectators parted before me, allowing me to walk to the other side of the Gymnasium, which was now bare of women. Everyone had been watching the contest.

I sat on one of the benches in the corner of the room. Respecting my obvious desire for solitude (or perhaps they were simply afraid) no one approached me.

I had proven my worth. The question was, how had that worth been judged?


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Despite my physical exhaustion, sleep did not come easily to me that night. I had returned to my cell to find a set of rough sheets awaiting me, yet they did little to comfort my sore heart.

I was missing something. There had been more to Norei's challenge than mere bluster. But what was had it been? Without knowing the true purpose behind our combat, I was at a loss to understand how I had truly performed.

The one bright spot to the day had been my conversation with Partov. Despite our inauspicious beginning, it seemed as if she had opened up to me somewhat. I was almost looking forward to seeing her tomorrow morning, until I realized that my contest with Norei might well have changed Partov's opinion of me once more.

The following morning began in a similar fashion as it had the day before; likely this was the regular routine. I made myself as presentable as possible, still combing my hair with my fingers when I was walking down the corridor. I noticed that other women were doing the same and smiled to myself. It didn't matter what planet we were from, there were certain similarities to all females. Perhaps my inexperience with peer social interactions wasn't as much of a liability as I had thought.

Inside the Dining Hall I received another plate of mush and bypassed the gattan. Realizing how similar the routine was from day to day, I recognized that I could easily lose track of time. I resolved to come up with some way to keep track of the days I had been in this facility, even if I had to revert to the old cliché of making marks on the walls.

I walked toward the seating area, fully expecting the same cold shoulder I usually received from the full tables, but was surprised to see Genalla and Thanto beckoning to me. When I approached, they shifted over, making space for me at the end of the table. No one else present seemed to mind this alteration to their seating arrangements.

"We would be honored if you would share your company with us, Swan." Genalla said formally.

"Thank you." I replied, giving her a genuine smile. "I think that's the nicest thing anyone has done for me since I got here."

"We were grateful for your assistance yesterday in the laundry." Thanto added.

"I'm glad I was able to help." I replied. "I'm new to this place, but I thought it might be better. Of course, I recognize that I may be unaware of important information, and so I appreciate that you were willing to give my idea a try."

"You're not at all what I thought." Genalla admitted.

"How is that?" I asked, taking a spoonful of mush.

"You're so… open." she admitted.

"You mean, I say exactly what's on my mind?" I smiled.

"Yes." Genalla flushed slightly.

"Is that so unusual?"

"It is around here." Thanto replied. "Most of us… we don't speak much. And we certainly don't challenge… the way things are."

"The way things are?" I frowned, not understanding what they were getting at.

"You sat at Norei's table." an unfamiliar woman joined the conversation.

"There was nowhere else to sit." I justified my actions.

"That's just it… even new prisoners… they never sit at Norei's table." the woman explained. "We force them to stand for a few meals, until they have earned their right to sit down."

"So, it wasn't just because I'm an offworlder?"

"That was part of it too." Genalla appeared to be extremely embarrassed.

"Let me guess… this is another time I'm not supposed to have said what was on my mind?" I deduced.

"No." Thanto shook her head, but a smile was curling at the corner of her mouth.

"And what has changed this morning?" I asked. "It can't simply be my suggestion in the laundry. Would it have anything to do with what happened in the Gymnasium last night?"

"Are all offworlders so blunt?" another woman questioned me, but her tone was inquisitive, and not at all condemning.

"No, everyone is different." I replied. "I guess I'm just not one for playing games."

"That's for certain!" Genalla quipped, and the others nodded in amusement.

The rest of the meal passed with pleasant conversation. The women at the table appeared to be friendly and curious, although they were apparently uncomfortable revealing such interest. I took pity on them, answering their questions as best I could. Their inquiries for the most part consisted of how I was adapting to life in prison.

I was disappointed when the meal ended. I hadn't realized how much I missed social interaction: friendly faces and conversation.

Once again, Genalla, Thanto, Partov and I were called for duty in the laundry room. Genalla informed me that we would have the same duty for a tennight, after which we would be rotated to another job with different partners.

"Let's try Swan's method again." Thanto suggested, to which Genalla nodded eagerly. However Partov made a sour face.

"If we must." she agreed grudgingly.

The work went fairly quickly, and this time the other three insisted that we rotate _all_ the positions with every new bin. My hands were grateful to be away from the caustic stain remover for much of the time, and before long I discovered that I was almost enjoying myself. It was good to have a task, even one as mindless as this. I had spent so long plotting and planning and thinking that it was good to simply _work_, without worrying what was to become of things.

Since we had started working in this fashion from the beginning of the morning, we were finished with all of the bins before dinner. We sat down on the floor, waiting to be released.

"It feels good to have a moment to rest." Genalla admitted.

"I can't remember the last time I had relaxed a moment to myself." I agreed.

"Let's enjoy it while it lasts." Thanto advised. Yet I noticed that Partov was refusing to join in the conversation.

"What's bothering you, Partov?" I asked her. "Is something wrong?"

"Is something wrong?" Partov appeared perplexed and slightly angry that I would ask her such a thing. "What do you think is wrong? You have insulted us!"

"Insulted you?" Now it was my turn to be confused. "I apologize, Partov. As you know, I am ignorant of Spectran culture. I assure you, whatever I did, it was unintentional."

"How did Swan insult you?" Genalla wanted to know.

"She sat with you!" Partov spat. "At breakfast, she ignored her usual seat in favor of sitting with you two!"

"They _invited_ me to sit with them." I pointed out. "I thought I wasn't welcome at the center table."

"You can sit there now." Partov flushed, realizing her error.

"Why now?" I asked curiously. "What's different from yesterday…?" My voice drifted off as the answer to my question came to me.

"Is that what this is all about?" I asked, slightly angry. "I wasn't _allowed_ to sit with you until I fought with Norei? What is this, some kind of gauntlet I have to run, to prove I'm 'worthy' of sitting with you? Thanks, but no thanks!"

"That's not it." Partov attempted to explain. "Norei… wanted to determine your motivation."

"My motivation? For what?"

"For sitting with us."

"Like I told Genalla and Thanto this morning, it was the only place where there was a seat available."

"We weren't certain."

"And now you are?"

"You… you talked to me, yesterday." Partov reminded me. "You seemed to care."

"Is that so unusual?"

"Yes."

The bluntness of her answer surprised me. I leaned forward a little, contemplating Partov's trembling face, while Genalla and Thanto looked on in shocked silence.

"I apologize for unintentionally offending you, Partov." I said slowly. "If I am welcome at your table, I would be happy to sit with you."

"But…" Genalla appeared to be disappointed. I sighed heavily. This really _was_ like high school.

"I shall sit with Partov at dinner, and with Genalla and Thanta at breakfast." I decided. The other women appeared uncertain for a moment, then smiled.

"Agreed." Partov replied, to which Genalla and Thanto nodded.

"Will I ever stop being surprised by you?" Thanto asked.

"If I say no, is that a problem?" I grinned.

"I suppose not." Genalla laughed sharply.

"How long have you two been friends?" I asked Genalla and Thanto. "You seem to work well as a team."

"A long time." Thanto answered, her face suddenly serious. "We were together in the Women's Village."

"You were in the Women's Village?" Partov was surprised. "I didn't know that."

"We don't talk much about it." Genalla admitted.

"What is the Women's Village?" I asked. Thanto scowled at me, then apparently thought better of her action.

"You really don't know, do you?" she questioned. By now I was getting sick of the familiar refrain, but I did my best to swallow my frustration.

"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking."

"The Women's Village was a refuge for women: a place where we could work and survive together." Genalla tried to explain. "We relied on each other, and worked as a group to help everyone there."

"It sounds like a wonderful place." I volunteered. "Why did you leave?" An uneasy silence fell amongst us, and I instantly sensed that I had asked the wrong question. But before I could apologize, Genalla spoke again.

"The government destroyed it." she replied sadly. "It was an affront to the law."

"An affront to the law? I don't understand."

"It all began when we saw Partov on the broadcasts." Thanto tried to explain. "We saw people join her cause… and we saw how it ended."

"Me?" Partov sounded surprised. "You started the Women's Village because of me? I didn't know that."

"We were like you." Genalla explained. "Our husbands had been lost to disease. We were alone, unable to work, with no family to help us. The plague hit our town hard; many had died. There was little food, even for those who had the funds to buy it."

"There were eight of us, living together in one dwelling." Thanto continued. "One women, Verak, was able to disguise herself as a man, to get work. We all shared her income among us. While she worked the rest of us tended to a garden, growing our own food as best we could."

"So what happened?"

"Verak's deception was uncovered." Genalla sighed. "When she was found out she was arrested, and the rest of us ran away. It was the First Season, after the snows had melted. We were able to find shelter in the foothills of the mountains, and we created our own community there. We called it the Women's Village."

"We grew our own food, and hunted small game." Thanto went on. "From time to time, we would send one person back to town to get supplies, trading a little of our food. Word spread among the women of our community. Soon other women began to arrive. After a year, there were nearly seventy of us."

"Such a large number is a testament to your efforts." I was impressed. "You provided a haven for women who could otherwise not survive."

"We knew the government would not help us." Genalla shrugged. "Just as they did not help Partov. We worked for ourselves. But Lord Zoltar… he felt that we were operating outside of the law. We were labeled as rebels."

"We did not know any of this until the day the soldiers came." Thanto's eyes filled with tears. "Our village was burned, the women ravaged and beaten. Of all our number, only four of us lived to tell the tale… and we are all here, in this place. We are called traitors."

"So, you were traitors, because you decided to live on your own, away from the rest of society?" I questioned.

"No." Thanto shook her head. "We were traitors because we allowed women to work, and survive without men. That is against the law. We were 'setting a poor example'."

"Is everyone here guilty of working?" I attempted to put the pieces together. "Partov, yourselves… you all wanted to work, because your husbands had been lost."

"No." Genalla smiled ruefully. "Many of the women here wanted to work, but that was not their only crime. Some women protested laws, made spectacles of themselves."

"Dimal's family took over a government office in their town." Partov revealed. "Her husband was the ringleader. She was sentenced as his accomplice."

"Ugara's village hid crops from the Overseer." Thanto added. "They were discovered when the tax rolls were too low. She was sent here as an 'example' to others."

I listened, wide-eyed, as the women described the variety of 'crimes' of which the prisoners in this facility were guilty. The one thing they all had in common was that they had all been labeled as 'rebels'. They had all, in their own way, protested Spectran laws.

"Do men not receive this kind of punishment?" I asked.

"Of course they do." Genalla snorted derisively. "Most rebels are men, after all. Traitorous men are supposed to be executed, although it is rumored that there is a men's traitor's prison as well. But even if such a place exists, it was decided to have a separate facility for women. I gather they didn't want us to have the dubious pleasure of male company."

"Except for the guards." Partov added bitterly. "They're bad enough."

"Do they bother you?" I asked, worried.

"Not anymore." Partov appeared touched by my concern. "Not since Norei taught me to fight back. They want women who are easy to overcome. Besides, there are some who give such favors away easily."

"Here? With the guards?" I was shocked. "Why?"

"Perhaps they are lonely." Partov shrugged. "Perhaps they gain advantages for themselves by capitulating. Although some…"

"It's true, then?" Thanto whispered. "About Fanel?" Her voice was so quiet I barely heard her, even with my cerebonic enhancements. I imagined that Genalla and Partov must have been reading lips to understand the question.

"Yes." Partov confirmed. "Fanel has a way of finding out… information."

"I can see how that would be helpful." I said slowly.

"It has been." Partov defended her comrade. "Whatever she learns, she passes along."

"The men must be stupid to speak in front of her." Genalla observed. "Still, it is to our advantage."

"I've encountered many Spectran guards." I offered. "There are exceptions, of course, but the average soldier isn't very bright. And I can attest that they have a tendency to underestimate the abilities of a woman."

"How did you encounter Spectran soldiers?" Partov asked.

"Were they occupying your planet?" Thanto guessed.

"No." I shook my head. "It was… part of my job. I was fighting on the front lines."

"You had a job?" Genalla gasped.

"Fighting?" Thanto frowned.

"To which rebel group did you belong?" Partov wanted to know.

"I didn't belong to a rebel group." I answered. "And yes, it was legal. I was fighting for the Federation. I was with the military forces."

"No wonder you can fight so well." Partov mused.

"With the Federation?" Genalla appeared horrified. "But… they're barbarians! How could you be working with them?" Her shock was so genuine that I nearly laughed out loud, yet I caught myself in time.

"I was born in the Federation." I explained. "I grew up on Earth. I have been trained to defend my home."

"You truly _are_ an offworlder, then." Thanto was confused. "I thought you were from a slave planet of the Empire."

"How do you speak Spectran so well?" Partov demanded.

"That was part of my training." I admitted. "I began learning your language at a very young age. The Federation has been at war with the Spectran Empire for a long time, and I had been marked as one who would fight on the front lines… someone who would need to be able to understand my opponents' speech."

"You are one of those Federation soldiers who destroyed Spectran cities!" Genalla accused.

"I have never destroyed a city." I stated firmly. "I have had to kill soldiers to save my own life in combat. I have had to destroy Spectran military installations and robots. But I have never harmed a civilian, nor do I intend to do so."

"That is not what the broadcasts say." Partov disagreed. "Lord Zoltar insists that the Federation is peopled by uncivilized barbarians who would slay us all in our sleep!"

"I gathered that most of you are here because you disagreed with Lord Zoltar?" I reminded them all. "Certainly his view of the war is colored by his hatred for the effective resistance the Federation presents. Spectra attacks the Federation. All we want to is defend our planets. We do not attack planets of the Spectran Empire."

"There is something to what you say." Thanto admitted. The others nodded thoughtfully.

"But why are you _here_?" Partov wanted to know. "This is a Traitor's Prison. It is not a place for war criminals… at least, not from the Federation's side."

"Zoltar insisted that I was Spectran." I revealed. "In fact, he insists that all people of the Federation are Spectran." I went on to reveal the Spectran Leader's arguments at my trial.

"This… this has to be a joke…" Genalla paled. "It can't be right."

"We're in agreement on that." I replied. "But it's what Zoltar claims. What I don't understand is why I'm still alive. I was sentenced to death."

"If you were sentenced to death, why weren't you killed?" Thanto was equally confused.

"There was a… disturbance in the courtroom. The soldiers got involved. In the middle of it, I was cut from behind... That's the last thing I remember. I thought I had been killed with poison. But instead, I woke up here, in my cell."

"This is very strange." was Partov's only comment. "I want to see what Norei thinks."

"Do you think she'd have any insight?" I asked.

"Perhaps." Partov answered. "She knows more than the rest of us. Whatever she did before… it was high level."

"I heard she used to be an administrator." Genalla offered.

"I don't know." Partov admitted. "But she seems to be better at… interpreting… such matters."

I wanted to question Partov further on this, but the guards appeared, informing us that we were to go to dinner. They did not seem either surprised or annoyed to find us chatting on the floor, our work long completed.

As we left, I felt a small lightening of my heart. I was finally starting to carve out a place for myself in this strange society.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Although we had completed our work early, it appeared that we were among the last to return to the Dining Hall. Our plates of food were waiting for us, and the guard behind the counter handed them out one at a time. Once again, there was a cup of gattan waiting for me, and I was obliged to take it. However once the guard had turned away, I quickly dumped the drugged beverage down the drain of the dispensing machine. I continued holding the cup in my hand, pretending that it was full.

Genalla and Thanto sat down at their table, and I smiled and told them I would see them the following morning. Then I followed Partov to the center table.

I was impatient to relate (or have Partov explain) my story to Norei. If she had any insight as to my situation, I was eager to hear it. Yet the other women were huddled together at the table, already deep in conversation. Dimal glanced up at our arrival and blanched when she saw me.

"Get over here." she ordered Partov, and the woman instantly complied.

"What's going on?" I asked casually, taking a bite of my pureed starch.

"This isn't for you." Dimal sniffed, turning away. It appeared that Partov's assessment of the situation hadn't been entirely accurate. It certainly seemed that I was more welcome at Genalla and Thanto's table than I was here. Still, this was the table that seemed to hold many of the answers I sought.

I pretended to drink my gattan in one gulp, absently wishing that there was actually a beverage within the cup. Once again my food was dry and strange in my mouth, as I watched the other women in heated discussion. As I gulped down the rest of my dinner, I began to wonder if I would ever be privy to this 'secret' matter they were poring over so intensely.

"You!" Norei accused me, loudly enough that the next table could hear. "Why are you visiting with Lord Zoltar?"

"What?" I was so surprised that I nearly choked on the last bite of my meal. "What are you talking about?"

"We have reliable information that Lord Zoltar is coming this evening to visit with you." Norei hissed, her voice lower now that she had managed to catch my attention. "And we know that he visited with you two evenings ago." Her emphasis on the word 'visited' was sickening, and I nearly vomited up my dinner in disgust.

"Whatever you're implying, it's not that way." I stated coldly. "The night I got here, he interrogated me; that's all."

"Then why is he coming again tonight?" Norei questioned, her usually blue eyes glittering like black diamonds.

"I have no idea. I didn't know he was coming tonight." I shrugged. "Perhaps he's going to interrogate someone else." But in my heart, I knew it wasn't true. Zoltar had complained that I hadn't given him the answers he wanted. Did he have reason to believe that tonight I would be more compliant? He had been in a hurry for his 'footage'.

"He's coming to see _you_." Norei spat. "Fanel heard it from the mouth of a guard who has been assigned to monitor the visit." I suddenly recalled what Partov had revealed about Fanel, and her methods of extracting information.

"This is news to me." I replied calmly. "I'll let you know afterward, if you'd like. But last time all he did was ask questions. He didn't like my answers very much, though."

"You lie!" Norei snarled viciously. Her fingers trembled with rage, and I could see them clenching into a fist beneath the table.

"You're a spy!" she accused me. "You were put here to infiltrate our group and report on us to Lord Zoltar. No wonder you are so flippant about the rules! They don't apply to you, do they?"

"I don't know where you came up with this crazy idea," I told her, "but trust me, I'm the _last_ person who would _ever_ spy for Zoltar. Now spying _on_ Zoltar, that's something of which I'm actually guilty." Briefly, I recalled the time I had hidden inside an enemy base, recording Zoltar's speech so that Mark could listen to it and perfect his imitation of the Spectran Leader's voice. The Commander had done so well with his disguise that he had fooled a large group of Spectran troops into thinking that he really was a Spectran Captain.

"Really?" Partov's voice trembled as she addressed me. "Is that why you're here? Because this afternoon you told me you were a fighter for the Federation. Which is it? A fighter? A spy? You can't keep your story straight, can you?"

"It's not what you think…" I tried to explain, but I was cut off by the announcement that there were two hexons left before the end of the meal. Everyone turned away from me, refusing to even acknowledge my existence.

I was furious with Zoltar. All of the work I had done to be accepted by these women, and he had destroyed it in one fell swoop! And the worst part of all was that this hadn't even been his intention. He probably just wanted to ask me his ridiculous questions again.

As had occurred the previous evening, the tables were called to the exit, and the women left in an orderly fashion. Btu when I stepped into the hall, my energy path quickly diverged from the otherwise unbroken line of prisoners. I could feel Norei's eyes following me as I was forced to turn away from the others, moving down a different corridor. I understood that in her mind, this only confirmed her accusations.

Given what I had been told, I guessed that I was being taken to see Zoltar at this moment. My mouth felt dry, and my dinner threatened to return from my stomach.

My dinner…

The past two nights, the starch had tasted funny… I had a small headache and felt slightly dehydrated. Both nights, the server had already plated my food, and I had been forced to take a cup of gattan that I hadn't wanted.

I was being drugged!

Zoltar had complained that I was not compliant. He had expected me to answer his questions in a positive manner. Now I had been drugged for two successive nights, and he was expecting a different result.

There was no way I could comply with what Zoltar wanted, not the least of which was because I was furious with him for unintentionally destroying the goodwill I had built up with the other prisoners. Yet I didn't want to reveal that whatever drugs they had used had been ineffective. To do so would only invite more drug cocktails and more experimentation. Eventually the Spectrans would find something that my cerebonics couldn't filter out, and that could be disastrous.

My head began pounding with my frustration. My feet slapped irritably on the floor. At this rate, Zoltar would be lucky if I didn't bite his head off… that was it! I had to show that the drugs had had an effect on me. What if they had made me ill-tempered and rude? I could act completely differently from the previous interrogation, and Zoltar would blame it on the drugs.

Perfect.

Sure enough, the energy field brought me to the same room where I had encountered Zoltar two nights before. Once again, the room was empty, save for a single wooden chair, illuminated by bright lights. I walked over, throwing myself down onto the lone piece of furniture in a huff. Immediately a force field appeared around my position.

"Princess, I see you're looking worse than ever." Zoltar smirked as he entered the room.

"Yeah, and I don't even have a mask to cover it up." I glared back at him. Zoltar appeared somewhat taken aback, yet he forged ahead anyway.

"I'm going to ask you a few simple questions." he smiled condescendingly. "You will answer them to the best of your abilities." The Spectran Leader glanced up at the ceiling, then back down at me.

"You are being treated well here, aren't you?" he asked in a leading fashion.

"I haven't had a bath, I get attacked when I eat and I'm forced to work with noxious chemicals all day." I snorted, crossing my arms derisively. "If this is what you call being 'treated well', then I think your subjects have a lot to complain about, Zoltar."

"You're being fed and housed and clothed." Zoltar insisted.

"I've been wearing the same clothes for three days, half the time I'm interrupted before I can finish a meal, and the 'housing' consists of force fields blocking me in." I growled, leaning forward and pointing at the field in front of me. "Surely even a peabrain like you can see what I'm talking about."

"That is it!" Zoltar shouted, raising his fist to the ceiling. "What is going on here?"

"What's going on is that you're a pompous idiot who actually thinks that just because you say something, people will believe you." I retorted in as rude a manner as I could muster. "I've had a pounding headache ever since 'dinner', and I'm in no mood to pussyfoot around you and your little games!"

"She was supposed to be cooperative!" Zoltar screamed.

"She was given the mandroe grivet in her evening meal." a voice came into the room through some kind of audio system. "She was forced to drink the gattan. The chemicals should have created a judgment imbalance in her system…"

"I should say there's a judgment imbalance!" Zoltar ranted.

"Of course, I'm not the one in this room who's unbalanced." I snickered loudly.

"Clearly this isn't the sort of judgment impairment you were looking for." the voice whimpered in fear. "Her physiology is different from that of a Spectran woman. Perhaps the drugs affect her differently."

"But why should that be?" I laughed sarcastically. "After all, according to Mr. Brilliant here, I _am_ Spectran, as anyone can plainly see! Why, when I'm with the other prisoners, I just blend right in!"

"You will pay for this, G-Force bitch!" Zoltar snarled.

"What, are you going to kill me?" I taunted. "It seems that I was already sentenced to death, and yet I ended up in this hellhole, in the dubious pleasure of _your_ company. You're already subjecting me to the worst punishment possible."

"Oh, you think so, Princess?" Zoltar's head snapped toward me, and the look in his eyes made my blood run cold. "Trust me, I can make things far, far worse for you. Unless you cooperate."

"Cooperate? With you?" I rolled my eyes, indicating the ridiculousness of that possibility. "That's not likely. I may be here, but I still have standing orders. My duty doesn't allow collaboration with the enemy. Especially when the enemy is a lying, lowlife worm."

"What?" Zoltar's screech nearly broke my eardrums.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Does the big important Leader of Spectra not like being called a worm?" I cooed nastily. "How about a pig? A pig could work. Quite well, I think."

I could hear a snort of laughter from the other side of the wall. Clearly there were other observers to these proceedings. I smirked to myself, hoping that my insults were humiliating Zoltar as much as I thought they were.

"If that's the game you want to play, then you can take the consequences!" Zoltar snarled. "Collapse!"

I barely had time to wonder what the Spectran Leader meant before I saw the result of his order. The force field began to lower from the ceiling, coming down toward my head at a noticeable speed. I realized that it would hit my head in short order.

Most of the force fields I had encountered were safe to touch: their purpose was merely to contain. The only one that appeared unsafe (I hadn't yet tested its ferocity) was the crackling field that 'chased' me down the corridors, encouraging my movement along the energy paths. The field approaching me from above appeared harmless, yet still, it was hard enough to crush me, should it come to that. I quickly got onto the floor, watching the field's approach. It did not stop for the chair in which I had so recently been sitting, merely crashing into its back and compressing the wood of which it was made with an ear-shattering crack. I flattened myself as best I could against the floor, given the limited space available, hoping that my some miracle, the chair's debris would give me the few centimeters I required.

I closed my eyes as I felt a flat pressure on my back… but to my intense relief, the pressure did not increase. The field had stopped its descent. I was squished into a space barely thirty centimeters high.

"Comfortable?" Zoltar sneered condescendingly. With the immediate threat of the lowering ceiling, I had momentarily forgotten that he was even there. My eyes popped open, watching the red boots pacing back and forth in front of my head.

"You may think you're something special, but you're still at my mercy." the Spectran Leader hissed. "Don't you forget it!"

"And here I thought you were merciless." I yawned, as much as I could when I was too squished to take a deep breath. "Shows you what I know."

"Do you understand that I could crush you at this very moment?" Zoltar threatened, his boots coming to a stop in front of my face. "Your very life is in my hands!"

"Empty words." I bluffed. "If you wanted to kill me, you would have done so already. You've had plenty of opportunity to follow through with it, if you truly wanted to. I'm alive for a reason, and if you kill me now, you've only cheated yourself."

An ominous silence greeted my words. From my squashed position I was unable to see Zoltar's face; unable to gauge the impact of my words on his expression. It had been a horrible gamble, but then, at that moment, what did I have to lose?

After an eternity he turned, walking out of the room. The force fields dissipated and I collapsed, my aching muscles spreading like spilled water across the floor. As quickly as I could with stiff limbs, I scrambled to my feet, heading for the door, which opened to reveal the corridor beyond.

My bluff had paid off… this time.

How much longer could I hold out?


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

To my surprise, the energy walls did not lead me back to my cell, but rather to a different area of the prison complex. The door opened and I entered what looked like a large changing room. Perhaps two dozen women were scattered around the room in various stages of undress, some of them with wet hair.

Wet hair… I realized that the background noise I was hearing was of running water. Showers! I couldn't help a small smile coming to my mouth. Yet as soon as it appeared, it vanished. The women in the room were making it their business not to look at me, and yet, I could feel their stares boring through my skin. I moved forward, the others clearing a path before me, unconsciously showing me where to go. I passed through the room, the women returning to their previous positions after I had passed, clearly demonstrating their desire to remain far from my person.

A large bin, of the type I had become familiar with in the laundry facilities, was labeled 'Soiled Clothes', and I noted a large pile of grey garments within. Heedless of my audience, I peeled off my filthy clothes and eagerly dropped them into the bin. Beside me was an entranceway into another chamber, and I could already feel the spray. The water wasn't hot, but it wasn't cold either. As far as I was concerned, it was good enough. The desire to be clean suddenly overpowered all else.

The shower room was filled with the remaining women. It appeared that there had been two shifts in the cleansing chamber. Large poles, spraying water in all directions, were placed around the room, each one servicing four women at a time. Yet as I approached a vacant spot, the other women at that station quickly departed, squeezing in with their comrades at other locations around the chamber. Tears stung at my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Inexplicably, I found that I was cut to the core by their utter exclusion.

I did my best to ignore them, closing my eyes and luxuriating as much as I could under the lukewarm rain. Small dispensers of soap had been provided, and gratefully I washed my skin and hair as quickly as I could, saving the remaining time to enjoy the feel of the water on my skin. I turned around, opening my mouth, letting the water fall within, and drinking deeply. I hadn't had this much to drink since I had last been at Center Neptune, and I took advantage of whatever I could.

A faceless voice announced that we had three hexons before the water was turned off, and I noted the other women hurrying to finish washing themselves. I remained as long as I could, drinking and rinsing until the water ceased. The women lined up on the opposite side of the room from which I had entered, filing slowly into a third chamber. The line moved slowly, yet did not appear to stop. Curiously, I joined them, noting that the women to my front and my rear left far more space than did the others.

The third room turned out to be some kind of drying chamber, with powerful flows of hot air blown about. The women moved as slowly as they could, pulling their fingers through their hair to dry it as they were subjected to the heat. I felt the water droplets evaporating from my skin, leaving me with a warm, comforting feeling.

Yet it wasn't to last. In comparison the locker room, which was now empty, felt frigid, and was only made more so by the icy glares of the other women. I noticed the others picking up bundles of dry clothing from a counter, and copied their example, noting that there appeared to be no variance in size or shape. We literally all wore the same thing: our clothes were completely interchangeable, right down to undergarments. Somehow, I found that almost as disturbing as being ostracized.

Next to the piles of clothing was a container full of plastic bags. Some of the women were taking them, along with their clothing. Curiously, I grabbed a bag and peered at its contents. Inside were ten sanitary pads and accompanying disposal containers. Instructions printed inside the bag stated that the containers would be 'removed' from our cells if they were left there. Lovely. It seemed that the Spectrans even had basic bodily functions down to a schedule.

As I pulled on my fresh clothing, I noticed that the others were gathered around a wall shelf on the far end of the room. Curiously I approached, sending startled women scattering. On the shelf lay a number of metal combs.

Eagerly I reached for one, pulling it through my hair, thrilled to finally be able to free my head of the tangles it had endured for so long. The comb was quite heavy and thick, yet it was far better than my fingers. No mirror was provided, but I could tell by the feel of my hair and the way it laid over my shoulders that it had returned somewhat to its normal state. I was amazed at how good something so small made me feel.

The faceless voice suddenly told us that we had one hexon to finish. Hurriedly I pulled the comb through the last of my tangles, not certain when I would be allowed this small luxury again. We were ordered to step back from the wall, holding out our arms.

I did so, forgetting that I was still holding the comb in one hand. A powerful hum arose, and the comb began pulling from my hand. Curiously, I loosened my fingers, watching the metal object fly from my grasp, slamming back onto the shelf from where it had come. Other combs followed, returning to their original locations.

My head began to ache: a twisting sensation at the base of my skull. I winced, unprepared for the pain that I was experiencing. My cerebonics were going wild, attempting to compensate for… whatever this was.

The hum ceased abruptly, along with the pain in my head. My mind cleared and I instantly understood. The force ripping the comb from my hand had been nothing more than a magnet, albeit a very powerful one. The magnetic field had been strong enough to interfere with my cerebonics, which was saying a lot, as even the magnet Mark had devised to combat Spectra's giant metallic sphere robot hadn't affected me to that degree. Heck, this thing had nearly been strong enough to pull the iron out of my blood!

Everyone lined up to exit the locker room and head back into the corridor. The blue light walls returned us to our cells. As I lay on my sleeping platform, a plastic bag of sanitary supplies on the floor beside me, I almost felt like myself again. Yet I could not dismiss the sense of vulnerability I had felt when Zoltar had confined me in that tiny box, capable of crushing my body at any instant.

I had to get out of here. The question was _how_.

88888

The following morning in the Dining Hall I approached Genalla and Thanto's table, but the two women looked away, refusing to acknowledge my presence. Rather than force my way into their already crowded space, I resigned myself to another meal of ostracism at the center table. I sat down, the others giving me dark looks and keeping as much space between us as possible. It was difficult to believe, but I had become even more of an outcast than when I had first arrived.

Briefly, I contemplated proclaiming my innocence once more, but I quickly recognized the futility of such action. They had already made up their minds, and there was nothing I could say or do that would persuade them otherwise.

Yet… I couldn't help but wonder if that was the case for _everyone_. I felt as if I had made a connection with Partov, and to a lesser degree, with Genalla and Thanto. Perhaps, if the issue at hand was discussed in the open, they might be persuaded to reconsider the matter.

When we reached the laundry facilities that morning, I allowed the other three women to scramble for the comparatively easier tasks of tossing and sorting, while I was left with the undesirable chore of spraying on the caustic stain remover. We worked in a cloud of tense silence for perhaps half a hexor, before I startled the others by speaking.

"I thought we were friends." was my bland statement.

"Friends are trustworthy." Partov snapped. "You are not."

"And what have I done to prove my apparent untrustworthiness?" I asked. "Norei has jumped to an incorrect determination regarding me, with only circumstantial evidence to support her theory. Yet everyone believes what she has concluded in error. I can understand this from people who do not know me. Yet I had thought that we had shared enough that you would know something of my character."

"It's not that…" Genalla appeared to be embarrassed. "It's just that it's too risky. If there's even a chance that you're a spy…"

"I'm not." I stated firmly. "Yet I would hope that you would understand that instinctively. However, I can see that you were only interested in associating with me because you perceived my status to be higher, having survived my fight with Norei. Now that I have become an outcast, you no longer wish to associate with me."

"You make us sound like selfish social-climbers!" Thanto was offended by my speech. "You are hardly treating us fairly."

"Am I?" I asked quietly. "They why was it that you didn't speak with me before yesterday? And why is it that you were so willing to believe the worst about me when everyone else did?" Thanto's face burned with anger, but she did not reply.

"If you're so 'innocent', then why did Lord Zoltar want to see you last night?" Partov demanded. "Or are you going to claim that didn't happen?"

"Oh, it happened." I confirmed. "He asked me his same stupid questions again. And just like the last time, he didn't like my answers. Only last night, he decided that he might just kill me for it."

"For not answering his questions?" Genalla gasped.

"For not answering them the way he wanted." I clarified. "I answered, and I did so truthfully, but that wasn't what he wanted to hear."

"So he was willing to kill you over that?" Thanto sounded doubtful.

"He was pretty angry." I shrugged.

"Why didn't you just tell him what he wanted to hear?" Genalla asked, a practical expression on her face. "Why would you risk angering Lord Zoltar?"

"Because I was telling the _truth_." I replied coldly. "I'm not going to be party to Zoltar's manipulative schemes, at _any_ price. There are critical things… things I am fighting for… that are far more important than my own life. Do I want to stay alive? Of course I do! But I'm not going to sell myself and my comrades out to do it."

The other three women stared at me, blinking rapidly, uncertain what to make of my bald statement. They glanced at each other, seeking answers, yet found only their own confusion reflected back at them.

"Think of me what you will," I told them, "but I am _not_ a spy. Whatever is said between us is between _us_, and I'd die before revealing any of it to Zoltar."

I picked up a soiled garment, spraying stain remover on it, getting back to my work. The other women followed my lead, returning to their tasks, but through the rest of the day I felt their eyes upon me. They began rotating tasks, including me in the cycle of duties, as we had done the previous day, and I took this small gesture, at least, as a sign that perhaps they were pondering the meaning of my words.

We worked in silence until the bins were emptied, then dropped down to the floor in exhaustion.

"Your system does work better." Genalla admitted shyly. "I like finishing faster."

"Any time we can get to just relax is nice." Thanto admitted, looking askance at me.

"I gather there's no such thing as a day off in this place." I observed dryly.

"I think, sometimes, they let us sleep a little longer." Partov said thoughtfully. "It's hard to tell though, because there are no clocks."

"And no windows." I added. "For all I know, it's the middle of the night. Do you think there's someplace where we might be able to see outside, just for a moment?"

"There are no windows anywhere." Thanto frowned, as if speaking to a particularly dim-witted child. "We're underground."

"Underground?" I was momentarily surprised, but it made sense. "Where? Are we on Spectra?"

"Of course we're on Spectra!" Thanto snapped, but then she paused. "At least… I thought we were."

"We're on Spectra." Partov confirmed. "When I was transported here, we did not pass through space. In fact, most of the journey was underground."

"But no one knows exactly _where_ we are on Spectra." Genalla confided conspiratorially. "It's a secret, because they don't want anyone to find us."

"Who would find us?" I asked. "Are people looking?"

"Of course…" Genalla's voice faded as she looked at my face, apparently realizing that she was talking to a suspected 'spy'. The awkward silence that followed stretched on, no one willing to bridge the gap that still clearly remained between me and the others.

"How did _you_ end up here?" Partov asked suddenly, making me jump with surprise at the sound of her voice. "You say you were a fighter for the Federation, but how did _you_ come here, instead of anyone else?"

"There was a trap." I said slowly, wondering how much these women were ready to hear. "Zoltar was trying to capture my Commander. But I knew something was wrong, and I pushed him out of the way…"

"And you were captured instead." Genalla breathed, her eyes wide.

"Zoltar was far from happy when he discovered that he had captured the wrong person." I continued. "He decided to 'make an example' of me. I guess that's why I ended up here. It's better than being executed, I suppose."

"You sacrificed yourself for your Commander?" Partov sounded impressed, despite herself.

"I'll bet you wish you hadn't been so impulsive." Thanto suggested slyly. "You'd be safe, and your Commander would be the one being 'interrogated' by Lord Zoltar."

"That's where you'd be wrong, Thanto." I disagreed hotly. "I would give my life for my Commander in a second. I pushed him out of the way without hesitation. The only thing that kept me going, once I was captured, was knowing that he was safe." My eyes blazed, and I could feel the heat of my anger radiating in my words. Thanto drew back, her face immediately taking on an apologetic expression, as if she knew she had pushed me too far.

"You care a great deal for this Commander of yours." Partov noted.

"Are the two of you…?" Genalla did not speak the words, but we all knew what she was asking. My cheeks flushed. I had never really been in a 'relationship' with anyone, much less discussed the matter with others. I was taken aback by these women who seemed to see straight to the heart of such things.

"No." My response was torn with emotion. I knew instantly that the others sensed the depth of my outwardly simple response.

"Maybe…" Genalla tilted her head, carefully choosing her words. "Maybe now that you're gone, he understands what could have been."

"Are you trying to suggest that he misses me?" I laughed raggedly. I didn't know whether to smile at Genalla's honest attempt to make me feel better, or to cry with the stark reality. Mark might well miss me, now that I was gone, but I sincerely doubted that if and when I was to return, that things would be different between us. We had been through life or death experiences before, and nothing had changed in the way we interacted with each other. I had thought, perhaps, after my near-confession of my feelings the night Center Neptune was destroyed, that things might have… evolved. Yet there had been nothing of the sort. Mark had accepted my declaration that I 'liked him best' as a casual statement, and I had chosen not to pursue the matter. Being inexperienced in these matters, I had never been entirely certain if I had been too vague to make things clear to Mark, yet I had been too embarrassed at the time to speak more plainly. That there was something special between the two of us was not to be denied. That this 'something' would never be acknowledged, much less consummated… that was a hard reality that I had come to accept.

"I'm sure he does." Partov sympathized. Her eyes softened, and I could sense the honesty of the emotion.

"Thank you." I whispered, nodding gratefully. "It's a nice thought, in any case."

"At least you have someone to miss you." Thanto pointed out. "Our husbands are gone. It is our fate to miss _them_."

"You're right, Thanto." I agreed, surprising the woman. "At least I know my Commander is safe. None of you have that luxury. I have no business feeling sorry for myself."

"Yet it hurts, just the same." Genalla acknowledged.

We sat in sad silence, contemplating this truth.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It seemed that we were called to the Dining Hall more quickly that night, and when we arrived I realized that it was true. For the first time I arrived for my meal when the room was still half empty. Theoretically I could have simply sat down at any table, as none of them were yet full, but out of some warped sense of habit I followed behind Partov, moving once again to the center of the room.

"What's she doing here?" Dimal snarled at Partov. She was sitting with two other women from Norei's 'following'.

"Swan, I think you've met Dimal." Partov said dryly. "Do you know Karaht and Merei?"

"No, I haven't had the chance." I replied. "It's very nice to meet you." Karaht and Merei simply stared at me, as if they couldn't believe what they were hearing. Dimal continued to glare.

"I… I want to speak with Norei again." Partov said, casting a quick glance at me. "I think there might be something we are overlooking."

"We haven't overlooked anything." Dimal spat. "She's a spy. No one else in this place has regular meetings with Lord Zoltar!"

"Isn't it a little obvious to make _her_ a spy?" Partov asked. "She's an offworlder; she's the first person we'd suspect. If Lord Zoltar truly wanted to place a spy amongst us, wouldn't he choose a Spectran?"

"I don't presume to know what Lord Zoltar is thinking." Dimal hissed. "But I know that whatever _she_ is telling him, it can't be good."

"Norei, I need to speak with you." Partov said, as the platinum-haired woman sat down.

"It looks like you haven't been sufficiently circumspect in your behavior today, Partov." Norei noted coolly, her eyes sweeping over me with disdain.

"I want to discuss things again." Partov insisted, although her voice quavered. "I think we need to reconsider matters."

"Norei! I…" Fanel was rushing over to the table, but she stopped speaking the moment she saw me sitting there. Quickly she sat down next to Norei, whispering furiously. Norei's face blanched and her eyes grew wide. She turned her head to stare at me, assessing me with her icy gaze.

"You're _sure_?" she asked Fanel, and the woman nodded.

"Weckor told me as a warning." Fanel replied. "He insisted that she was dangerous and urged me to stay away from her."

"Interesting…" I could almost see the wheels turning in Norei's head. But what information had Fanel passed on about me? Most importantly, was it true, or false?

"I want to talk to you." Norei ordered. It was clear that I wasn't being given a chance to turn down this 'generous' offer.

"I'm right here." I reminded her, taking a bite of my food. "You can talk now."

"No." Norei shook her head. "This is… a private matter. We can't let it become public knowledge."

"Oh, so it's okay to falsely accuse me of being a spy, but _this_, whatever it is, is 'private' information." I muttered sarcastically.

"Just meet with me in the Gymnasium this evening." Norei snapped, but then she paused for a moment. "Unless you have another meeting with Lord Zoltar."

"Not as far as I know." I replied airily. "But then again, you should ask Fanel. She seems to know about my schedule before I do."

Norei did not rise to the bait, but simply nodded curtly in acknowledgement of my words. The remainder of the meal passed in silence, and I was forced to wait for whatever it was Norei wanted to discuss.

I ate quickly, then found myself twiddling my thumbs, waiting until the time allotted for dinner was over. It was of small comfort to realize that Norei appeared equally impatient. Apparently this matter truly was something she wanted to keep private.

After we were called out of the Dining Hall, we were once again led to the Gymnasium. The moment I stepped through the door, I was accosted by Norei.

"Over here." she jerked her head toward the corner of the room. I followed her, noticing that the other women appeared to be giving us a wide berth. No one bothered us or moved to approach our position.

"Is it true?" Norei demanded, the moment we were 'alone'.

"Is what true?" I asked sarcastically. "And even if I told you the truth, would you believe me? After all, I am a 'spy'."

"Can't you be serious for once?" Norei appeared frustrated. "Your attitude astounds me; it gives me doubts. Yet the rest of it fits. The fact that you're here at all, the way you fight, the interrogations by Lord Zoltar, the outrageous things you say… it's true, isn't it?" She paused briefly before speaking again.

"You're a member of G-Force."

"Yes."

I watched her mouth fall open, her eyes widening, then narrowing contemplatively. For an instant I regretted telling her the truth, but then I realized that I really had had no other alternative. After all, the guards knew, and since they apparently 'communicated' with the prisoners to some degree, it wasn't really a surprise that the information had leaked out. Even Norei's 'secrecy' right now was hopeless. News like this would pass quickly amongst the small prison population. It was destined to be common knowledge within a day or two.

"You don't deny it?"

"What would be the point?" I shrugged. "You all hate me anyway, I might as well be damned for something that's actually the truth."

"It's _your_ fault I'm here."

"What?" The accusation came out of nowhere, slapping me in the face.

"I heard about G-Force… about _you_; that there was a woman fighting with them. It inspired me. I wanted to help defend my homeworld against the Federation invaders. If their women could fight, then so could I."

"Wait a minute. We _never_ invaded…"

"It doesn't matter. I thought you had, at the time. I applied for training, and I was accepted."

"Training…" I thought back to the way Norei had fought: the movements she had made and their familiarity. "You're a Galaxy Girl."

"I _was_ a Galaxy Girl." Norei corrected, her mouth stretched into a thin line. "I was eager to fight, eager to be out there… until I saw the missions to which I had been assigned. I was ordered to kill scientists in their sleep, kidnap children to make other men cooperate. It wasn't a fight… it was sneaking, spying, horrible acts of torture."

"So what happened?" I asked curiously.

"I was ordered to poison the water supply of a Federation town. Lady Mala wanted to 'encourage' the officials there to surrender." Norei revealed. "But I knew that before the poisoning was discovered, many people would drink the water and die. Not just soldiers, but civilians… children…"

"You didn't do it…" I guessed.

"I did it." Norei grimaced. "I had orders. But I passed on a message to the city leaders, letting them know what I had done, so that they could warn their people. I thought that it wouldn't matter. We still held sway over their decisions, as only we had the antidote."

"But I'm guessing it did matter."

"It mattered all right. I had disobeyed orders; even though I hadn't specifically been told not to inform the local authorities of what I had done, it was implied. Or so they claimed. I was shamefully discharged, and sent here."

"You were sent here for warning civilians?" I was shocked.

"I was sent here for questioning my superior and going against her wishes." Norei's lips twisted in anger. "As a member of a high-level military force, that is a treasonable offense. I was branded a traitor."

"I think I'm beginning to understand."

"You can never understand! You don't know the shame and degradation I feel, having been expelled under the worst possible stain of disgrace! My family has shunned me. They don't even speak my name. I am cut off from everyone I ever knew, and they do not even remember that I exist."

"You're right, I can't understand that." I agreed. "I don't have a family. My family is my Team: my Commander, my teammates. If they were to treat me as if I never existed, I would feel pain. I can only imagine what you are suffering." Norei eyed me contemplatively; the set of her face as if she were pronouncing judgment upon me.

"You want to escape from here." She stated it as a fact.

"I won't deny it." I concurred. "But 'want' and 'reality' are two separate things."

"You've resigned yourself to this hole?"

"Not at all." I smiled slowly. "But these things take time and information. Time I have. Yet my information is lacking."

"You're not entirely correct." Norei disagreed. "These things take time, information, and ability. I have access to the first two. But the third…"

"You want to join forces?" It was an interesting thought; certainly something I hadn't previously considered.

"I've been trying to train others… but most of these women have little fighting ability. Some have desire, yet they are unfocused, undependable. But you…"

"My situation is somewhat different, yes."

"So we'll work together." Her words came out as a statement, yet I could see the question in her eyes. It was clear that Norei was used to 'telling', and not 'asking'. Still, this was the best opportunity I had come across in my quest to escape.

"We'll work together." I agreed.

"Good."

"Who else knows about… this?" I asked.

"No one. Fanel is intelligent enough to suspect, but never ask. The others think I am only training them so that they can defend themselves against the guards' unwanted advances."

"But that's part of it."

"It's a nice side benefit."

"You realize that my 'identity' won't remain a secret for long."

"I didn't expect it would. I'm sure Fanel has told the others by now, and it won't be long before everyone knows."

"So why…?"

"If I make it _seem_ like I wanted to keep it secret, then I had a reason for talking with you here, didn't I?" Norei smiled thinly. "It will be some time before we can speak again. I have to 'accept' you gradually. It would be too suspicious if we were suddenly conversing privately."

"Fair enough." I agreed, impressed by her understanding of the surveillance we were under. "And in the meantime, we can both be thinking of what options to discuss."

"I look forward to that."

"Good to know." I turned to walk away.

"Just one more thing." Norei hissed, grabbing my arm to momentarily prevent my departure. "Don't betray me. That is unforgiveable."

"I promised to work with you." I locked my eyes with hers. "I don't break promises. We're together in this." Norei's gaze searched mine for a long moment.

"I believe you." She let go of my arm.

"Well there's a first." I smirked. "I haven't uttered a false word since I got here, but you finally believe me."

"For now." Norei agreed.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The 'rumor' that Prisoner Swan was actually a member of G-Force spread almost instantly among the inmates. At first, the other women seemed fearful, and their behavior toward me didn't change much from when they had thought I was a spy. Yet slowly their fears eased as time passed, and I became more an oddity than an object of paranoia.

My days quickly began to settle into a routine. Eat, work, eat, Gymnasium, sleep, then wake up to start all over again. Every five nights we were brought to the showers, and my internal chronometer suggested that we were allowed to sleep a little later the following mornings, although without a clock I wasn't able to confirm this theory.

I finished my tennight working at the laundry, then was reassigned to the kitchens. Eight women in total were working in the kitchens at any given time, although usually we were all given different tasks. I peeled strange tubers and stirred massive pots of gruel until my fingers were covered with cuts and my arms ached, yet I knew enough not to complain. Norei had been assigned to the kitchens for the same tennight, yet I had had no chance to speak with her, as we were always working in different areas. Unlike the laundry, the women in the kitchen were separated to some extent, making conversation difficult. Occasionally two women would work together on some task, but the majority of us worked alone.

Yet mealtimes had become somewhat more social for me. I was now 'accepted' at the center table, which meant that the other women there did not take any especial notice of my presence there. They talked freely around me, yet it was still only Partov who spoke directly to me, acknowledging my presence on another level. Dimal was especially distant, and the most obvious in her attempts to ignore me. Naturally, this only made my presence more apparent to everyone else. After a few days, the others were at least nodding in greeting, yet Dimal still stared through me as if I wasn't even there.

Genalla and Thanto were now somewhat friendlier than they had been when they had thought I was a spy, yet I had received no further invitations to join them at their table. I was still somewhat uncertain, treading lightly in my interactions with the other women, not wanting to mess up what little progress I had made.

Life at the Traitor's Prison had improved to a small degree, and I had grown used to my surroundings. Unfortunately, that evening I paid for my complacency. As we were walking to the Gymnasium after dinner, my energy path veered off from those of the other women, and I found myself moving in another direction entirely. My mind blanked with shock for a moment as I was brought back to the reality of my situation. Zoltar wasn't about to just let me sit quietly in here, planning an escape. He had come to check on me.

Sure enough, I was brought to the interrogation room, where my last encounter with the Spectran Leader had nearly resulted in my own demise. I noticed that the lone chair today was different from the one that had previously been in this chamber: clearly the seat that had been crushed by the collapsing force field ceiling had been replaced.

This new chair was similar in appearance, yet there was something different about it. Its sleek, metal shape somehow appeared threatening. My skin prickled as I approached, and I found myself moving more slowly. My complacency was gone, replaced by a heightened sense of awareness. Yet the energy field at my back continued to propel me forward, and I had no choice as to which direction I would go.

I moved slowly toward the chair, approaching it apprehensively, yet seeing no alternative but to follow the path that had been laid out before me in shimmering blue light. Despite all of my attempts to dawdle, ultimately I was forced to stand in front of the chair. Yet I refused to sit down, instead looking about the room, searching for anything that could be of help.

Even as I was deducing that there was nothing, long, metallic tentacles snaked about my torso, yanking me backward and pulling my body into the chair. More tentacles emerged; now I could see that they were part of the chair itself. They grew and twisted, wrapping themselves around me until my body was immobilized from the neck down. I did my best to remain calm, knowing that a struggle would only make things worse, but it was a difficult state to achieve. Panic surged inside my brain, only to swell even higher when Zoltar entered the room.

"This time, you're going to answer my questions," the Spectran Leader snarled, "whether you like it or not."

"I've always answered your questions before." I reminded him, putting on a bravado I most assuredly didn't feel. "Can I help it if you didn't like the answers?"

"I'm not interested in your cocky attitude." Zoltar snapped, backhanding me across the face with a surprisingly powerful blow. My cheek stung and I tasted the coppery tang of blood in my mouth, yet somehow this only served to revive me, pushing my fear aside. My eyes flashed with defiance, and my lip curled as I saw Zoltar recoil slightly.

"What is it about you people?" Zoltar ranted, pacing back and forth in front of me. "How is it that even in defeat, you act as if you are on the verge of victory? Why is it that you never run; never give up?" The Spectran Leader turned toward me, his face suffused with a violence I had never seen from him before.

"You'll give up!" he snarled, smacking my head so hard it was a wonder the chair didn't tip over. "I'll make _you_ give up! You _will_ break!" My head lolled briefly, but I forced myself to lift it once more.

"G-Force does not give up." I growled, spitting my blood onto the front of his mask. He recoiled, wiping at the red fluid, appalled at my behavior.

"I'll _make_ you give up!" he screamed. "G-Force _will_ be defeated!" His hands smashed at my face again and again, until my vision blurred in a red haze and my ears rang with the sound of his madness. I retreated from the pain, allowing it to wash over me without taking over my mind. My thoughts were occupied analyzing what Zoltar had said. He had insisted that G-Force would be defeated…

"_You_ were the one who was defeated, weren't you?" I asked, my words distorted by my swollen tongue, yet still discernable. "G-Force has defeated _you_!"

"Three tennights it took to build that robot!" Zoltar raged, this time stomping his feet on the floor, rather than taking his anger out on my person. "And they destroyed it in an instant! How dare they?"

"How dare you attack the Federation?" I challenged. "If you kept your robots on Spectra, we wouldn't have to destroy them."

"The Federation is a group of ignorant rebels!" the Spectran Leader retorted. "They will bow to the will of the Great Spirit!"

"Save it for the broadcast cameras, Zoltar." I laughed harshly. "You don't _really_ believe that I'm a Spectran, do you? The whole idea is ludicrous! No wonder your people didn't buy it! They simply don't believe you!"

Zoltar turned toward me, his eyes glittering like poisonous crystals. Instinctively I recoiled, understanding that I had pushed him too far. But it was too late to take back my words.

I had hit a nerve; exposing his weakness. The Spectran Leader would show no mercy.

I pulled back, removing my consciousness from my reality, just as Zoltar's fist swung again. I closed my eyes, reaching out to the one person I most longed to see.

_Mark_…

88888

I rose to consciousness, only to become aware of an overwhelming ache centered inside my brain. My entire head felt overly swollen, as if it were about to explode. Compounding this sensation was a feeling of tightness about my face. Hesitantly I reached up, touching my cheek, feeling cloth bandages wrapped around my jaw. I brushed my fingers tentatively across my face, realizing that nearly my entire head appeared to be wrapped up in stiff cotton gauze.

Painfully, I cracked open my eyes, tensing in anticipation of bright light. Yet surprisingly, the room was dark. With some effort, I managed to turn my neck, looking around. It appeared that I was in my cell. Slowly, I worked through the haze of pain in my mind, reaching out to my cerebonics. My implant responded, immediately cataloguing my numerous injuries and reporting on healing progress.

Cracked jaw… broken nose… numerous contusions… swelling… bruises… concussion… Zoltar had certainly had his 'anger management' session at my expense. Yet surprisingly, he hadn't left me for dead. Clearly some minimal degree of medical attention had been paid to my person, while I was unconscious.

How long had I been out? My cerebonics couldn't report on that. Apparently I had been so far gone that my implant had temporarily gone into stasis, resetting itself and focusing all activity on healing. That in itself testified to how bad things had been. It was quite likely that without my cerebonics, I wouldn't even be alive now.

Yet my predicament remained the same. I was still in this prison, and still had no idea where I was. The only thing that had changed was the urgency with which I needed to escape. Zoltar was out of control. Granted, I hadn't exactly played along with his game, but a man who was capable of killing me with his bare hands purely out of anger was not someone under whose care I could count on remaining alive. Zoltar was insane; I was only beginning to understand what he was capable of, and I still had no idea what he truly wanted from me. I was alive for a reason, yet I wasn't certain what that reason was.

So many questions… but no answers. Only one real problem… but no solution.

Yet.

It was time to start moving forward with Norei. As soon as I saw her, we needed to begin planning our first move.

Of course, my eagerness to return to the other prisoners only meant that I was destined to remain on my own. Hexor after hexor passed, with no changes whatsoever… no one came, no lights came on, even the faceless voices that ordered me around were not to be heard. I was left alone with my pain and my anxious thoughts, seemingly abandoned in this single cell.

I was able to move around, albeit slowly, and able to use the facilities, such as they were. My mouth was apparently only covered by a thin weave of gauze, through which I was able to drink a few handfuls of tepid water. My stomach ached, but it was a weak memory of hunger, as if it had been some time since I had last eaten. I collapsed back onto my sleeping platform in exhaustion, pulling what little strength I had back together. I had to recover. It was clear that any other plans would have to wait.

After what seemed like an eternity, my cell door opened, bringing with it a flash of blue light. I was suddenly aware of an energy field above my person, pushing me horizontally down onto the sleeping platform. The pressure was light, but insistent, covering all of my body from the neck down. Clearly the field was being used as a restraint. But why?

I got my answer when an unfamiliar man carrying a bag entered the room. Unlike every other male I had seen at this prison, he did not wear a mask or a uniform, but simply appeared to be a civilian of some sort. He approached my position, carefully examining my head, poking and prodding with light, exploratory touches, yet he did not speak to me. I stared at him, wondering as to his purpose. Was he a doctor? Was he simply checking to see if I was still alive? Was he trying to assess my level of consciousness? Or was there some other purpose behind his examination?

The man prodded my jaw, then nodded in satisfaction. He pulled something out of his bag and brought it to my mouth. Instinctively, I tried to turn away, but found myself unable to move my head. Metal flashed against my lips and I winced, waiting for the resulting pain… yet there was none. Instead, I felt a slight coolness against my mouth: a rush of air.

"She can eat." the man called out, moving away and toward the door. "I've cut away the gauze. Another few days and we can remove the bandages." A guard entered my cell, bearing a plate of pureed starch and a bag of gattan, which he placed none-too-gently on the floor.

"I'll be glad when she's back to normal." the guard grunted, as if I weren't even present. "This extra duty is a real pain."

"From what I've heard, you should be glad that she's too weak to move around." the man (whom I presumed was some kind of medic) replied dryly. "I heard that she gave the guards at Military Headquarters all kinds of trouble."

"So why are we even bothering to heal her?" the guard grumbled.

"It is not my place to question Lord Zoltar." the medic replied primly. "If he wants her healed, it is my job to heal her."

"But why? Just let her suffer!" the guard protested. "It's not like she doesn't deserve it!"

"Lord Zoltar was concerned about her appearance." the medic confided in a superior tone. "He wanted her to be recognizable, not deformed."

"I guess that makes sense…" the guard mumbled, as the two men walked out of the cell. The door closed and I was alone once more. The energy field around my body disappeared. I took a deep breath, momentarily reveling in the freedom of expanding my lungs without having the wall of force pressing down upon them.

Zoltar hadn't wanted my appearance to be altered. He wanted me to be recognizable. Was he still hoping that I might answer his 'questions' to his satisfaction, so that he could film me doing so? Was he planning on sending images of me to the Federation, in an attempt to demoralize them? Whatever his thoughts, it was clearer than ever that he wanted me alive.

Yet when he had beaten me, he had been wild, out of control. It was entirely possible that he could have killed me in his rage. Was that why he had wanted me healed? To make up for the error that he had almost made? Or had he been more in control of himself than I had thought, purposely pulling himself back at the last moment, barely keeping me alive?

I shuffled slowly over to the plate of food, eating it in tiny bites, as it hurt to open my mouth more than a centimeter. It appeared that Zoltar was going to give me time to heal for a few days and then… then I was to go back to my existence as part of the prison population? I had to use this time to make plans.

When I spoke with Norei, I would be ready.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Based on the number of meals delivered, it was three days later when the medic arrived to remove my bandages. His eyes squinted as he assessed my face, and he frowned.

"Is her face supposed to be this round?" he asked the guard. "Even accounting for the swelling, I can hardly see her cheekbones."

"Yeah, I think so." the guard peered at me dismissively. "Offworlders look different."

"This woman is Spectran." the medic intoned.

"Of course…" the guard stammered. "She's… she's just got an unusual face, is all."

"She has healed very quickly." the medic admitted. "I've never seen anyone recover so fast from broken bones." Of course, there was no way this man could be familiar with the abilities of my cerebonics, so I wasn't surprised by his comment.

"As I said, she's unusual." the guard repeated. He turned, catching the medic's eye. Something passed between them for a moment, before they both fell silent. I held my breath, willing them to speak further, yet they did not. Still, if they were inclined to treat me like a piece of furniture, I had discovered the value in picking up information when they 'forgot' I was privy to their conversations.

"I'll bet you're called off special duty tonight." the medic noted after a few moments. "Back to your regular rotation."

"I'll be glad enough for that." the guard replied, glancing askance at me. "She gives me the creeps."

"She can't hurt you from behind the Enerwalls." the medic reminded him.

"Yeah." the guard verbally agreed, but his face betrayed his nervousness. It was an effort not to smile. It was good to know that my past actions preceded me. If it came down to a fight, I'd have the advantage of a fearsome reputation.

The two men exited the cell, but this time the guard did not leave any food behind. I took that as a sign that perhaps I would be sent to have meals in the Dining Hall again. That meant that I'd be able to contact Norei.

I had no way of seeing my reflection, but tentatively I put my fingers to my face as soon as the Enerwalls disappeared. The skin was soft and slightly tender, and felt puffy to the touch. I recalled the medic referring to 'swelling' and guessed that this was an aftereffect of the fast healing. My bones might have knitted themselves back together, but it seemed as if the contusions I had suffered had resulted in severe hematoma.

But it didn't matter. Nothing mattered unless I got out of here.

A short while later my cell door opened and I found myself directed into the corridor. I was surprisingly relieved as I found myself in the passageway with the other prisoners, heading toward the Dining Hall. After picking up my 'dinner' I made my way to the center table.

Partov looked up as I approached, the color draining from her face as she saw me. At her small cry, the others looked up, clearly shocked by my appearance.

"Didn't you ever expect to see me again?" I frowned. "I can't have been gone for that long."

"Five days." Partov whispered. "We didn't know what had happened to you…"

"What happened to your face?" Dimal asked me. Her direct approach was somewhat refreshing, after the way the guard and the medic had been ignoring me.

"Zoltar decided to use me as a punching bag." I shrugged. "Literally."

"You let him treat you like this?" Norei's scowl further hardened her already harsh expression.

"I wasn't exactly in a position to defend myself." I replied evenly. "I'm sure you can imagine how it was."

"Why would he do this to you?" Merei wanted to know. "What reason would he have?"

"Apparently my teammates caused him some difficulties." I smiled. "He was angry with them, but since they weren't around, and I was…"

"You can't let him treat you like this!" Norei growled.

"Oh, don't worry." I replied airily. "I certainly didn't give him what he wanted."

"You look horrible." Partov's expression revealed the truth behind her words.

"It's just bruising, I guess." I shrugged. "I don't really know. It's not like I've seen myself. But it doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm back." I looked directly at Norei as I said this, communicating my intention. She froze briefly, then slowly nodded in acknowledgement.

"We'll see how much you've healed." she stated. "In the Gymnasium tonight, we will spar again."

Well finally this was getting somewhere. I nodded to show that I understood her message.

"I look forward to it."

88888

When we entered the Gymnasium, Norei took me to a corner of the room, glaring at the others. Her silent message was understood, and no one followed us. We laid a few mats out on the ground, and then began to circle each other. We feinted back and forth, but I could see that Norei's movements were automatic, and her mind wasn't really on this 'sparring'.

"What are you thinking?" she asked bluntly as we circled around each other.

"I'm thinking that our biggest problem is those Enerwalls." I replied, getting straight to the point, even as we continued sparring. "With them, just one guard can control us, even kill us. No matter how many we have. There is no successful escape without neutralizing the Enerwalls."

"Agreed."

"It must take an enormous amount of power to generate them. There has to be some kind of reactor, or other power source, nearby, perhaps even within this facility. Do you know what it is?"

"There's a hydronium reactor. I know where it is."

"Do you have access to it?"

"Of a sort. But it's not like any of us is allowed to go anywhere near it."

"So you can see it?"

"I suspect you'll be seeing it as well, tomorrow." Something in her manner suggested that I should move on to another topic.

"We also need weapons."

"You think I hadn't figured that out?"

"I'm pretty good with explosives. Perhaps some of the materials in the kitchens might come in handy."

"Perhaps. In the meantime, I have a few other things I'm working on."

"Care to enlighten me?"

"No."

Clearly the boundaries of trust were limited. I tried again.

"Why is it safe for us to talk here?"

"It's safe for us to talk anywhere."

"Then why did you wait for here?"

"Because I didn't want the others involved."

"But the Spectrans aren't listening?"

"I can't say for certain, but based on the number of occasions on which I've said something that should have 'interested' them, I'd say not. I think their detection systems make them overconfident." Now that was attention-grabbing.

"What detection systems?"

"Cameras in the main areas, of course." Norei shrugged. "But more importantly, they track our heat signatures." I recalled how Zoltar had been able to detect my presence on his ship when he had first captured me, guessing the technology in use here was similar.

"So they know where we are at all times?"

"They have identified our unique heat signatures. Not only can they tell that a person is in a specific location, they know exactly who it is. Why do you think they don't have guards outside of our cell doors?"

"That's definitely another system in line for disabling." I muttered to myself. "We need to catch them blind and with their pants down."

"That's an interesting turn of phrase…" Norei frowned curiously.

"I didn't mean literally…" I attempted to explain. "We want to surprise them. Catch them when they're unaware, so that they're unable to react appropriately."

"I see." Norei nodded. "What are your thoughts on that?"

"Surprise is about as far as I've gotten." I admitted. "You know more about the inner workings of this place than I do. What do you think?"

"I think that you're right about the reactor. If we disable it, then almost all systems will be down. There's likely to be a backup system, but that will be minimal."

"It would be even better if I could access one of their terminals." I thought aloud. "I'm pretty familiar with Spectran computer system architecture…"

"I'll bet you are." Wait, was that a _grin_ on her face?

"In my line of work, the situation arises, from time to time." I shrugged modestly.

"I should be offended, but somehow, I'm not."

"So is there any place where I might be able to access a terminal?"

"There are no remote terminals that I am aware of." Norei admitted. "Although it's likely the Warden has one in his office. But my understanding is that the systems are almost entirely manipulated through the main control room."

"Control room?" My ears perked up like a kid hearing about a candy stash. "Where's that?"

"Next to the reactor." Norei smiled slyly.

"I guess I'd better find this reactor, then."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The following morning I was to see why Norei had been so coy about the reactor. After breakfast I was given a new work assignment. It seemed that the majority of prisoners were given this assignment, as I followed a long line of women down the corridors, our path defined by the Enerwalls.

Eventually we came to a set of doors imprinted with the Spectran devil logo. The hair stood up on the back of my neck: this was just too coincidental. When I entered the room I gasped in shock, finally understanding Norei's veiled references. The chamber I was standing in was massive. The majority of the area was clearly designated as some sort of manufacturing plant, but in the back, standing perhaps forty meters high, stood what was unmistakably a hydronium-fueled power reactor. Looking at the operations surrounding the apparatus, I could see why such high levels of power were needed. Manufacturing equipment stood in rows so close together it seemed that there was barely room between machines. Everything was in motion, and the clanks and hums of operating devices created a near-deafening din.

Off to the side of the room was an offshoot chamber, separated by a clear wall. The smaller room was lined with computers and control stations, manned by perhaps a half dozen Spectran soldiers. I realized that I had stopped when the Enerwall bumped into my back, sending me scurrying forth to reclaim my position in line. I followed the other women to the machines, where they arranged themselves at clearly marked positions along a conveyer belt. The belt began to move, and a series of Spectran megatron war missiles passed by us, stopping once they had reached the end of the line of women. The missile casings were open, revealing the inner workings of the instruments of death.

"Install the explosive!" a woman to my left hissed. I turned to look at her, not knowing how to respond.

"Hurry up!" she urged. "If we get behind schedule, we'll all be punished!"

I nodded in response, looking down at the station before me. Sure enough, there was a bin with carefully arranged pellets of trentorium in its standard compressed powder form. I bit my lip, reaching nervously for one of the pellets. With my heavy training in explosives, I knew, probably better than anyone else here, the dangers associated with handling trentorium in its raw state. The compound was highly explosive, which made it ideal for use in the missile, yet highly dangerous to install. Cautiously I picked up a pellet, carefully placing it into the tantalum-lined casing. Once the pellet had been installed, the risk of accidental detonation was minimal, thanks to the low reactivity of the tantalum. Following the lead of the other women I closed the casing, snapping it shut so that the missile was complete.

I glanced back at the women who had given me instructions, and noticed her nodding approvingly at me.

"Be careful with this stuff!" she warned, even as the missiles moved off down the conveyer belt and the next batch approached. "A friend of mine once lost her hand!" I inclined my head gratefully in response. I'd be lucky just to lose a hand, if I didn't treat these explosives with respect.

It took me perhaps half a hexor to get comfortable enough with the process that further observation of the missiles was not a risk to my personal security. When I examined the interior of the warheads, I wasn't surprised to discover that these were standard armaments on Spectran attack vessels, the kind G-Force had encountered many times before.

Was I actually helping to construct missiles that might be used against my own teammates?

Naturally, this thought was somewhat distressing, but immediately I pondered the situation, wondering how I could turn it to my advantage. I didn't take me long to figure out a number of different ways I could nullify the missile's effects, from cutting them off from their power source to switching a wire in their navigation systems, to blocking the thruster conduits. From that point on, each missile received an 'extra touch', in addition to the installation of the trentorium. I made sure that each missile was impaired in a different manner, so that if one of my attempts at sabotage was discovered, the others wouldn't necessarily be revealed as well.

Between working out how to disable each missile and my innate sensitivity to handling the trentorium pellets, the time passed quickly. I was shocked when it was finally time for us to depart and return to the Dining Hall for dinner.

As we left the manufacturing plant, we were all given a cloth soaked in nedrosine; I could tell by its distinctive scent. The woman who had stood next to me all day approached, speaking to me from behind.

"Wipe your hands well." she urged. "This stuff is highly toxic, in addition to being dangerous."

"Thanks, I appreciate the warning." I told her.

"We're all in this together." she shrugged. Carefully I wiped my hands, noting that some of the noxious chemical had worked its way underneath my fingernails. Diligently, I rubbed the nedrosine cloth in the cracks, doing my best to clean it from my skin.

It wasn't until later that night that I realized what I had discovered.

88888

The following morning I initiated my plan. I began by secreting a clean sanitary pad in my sleeve. The bagginess and poor fit of the prisoner clothing easily hid the additional bulk. At the end of the day I surreptitiously pulled it out of my sleeve, thoroughly wiping my fingers on it, and scraping out as much as I could of the trentorium that lurked beneath my nails. Once that process was complete, I gladly took a nedrosine cloth and wiped down my hands once more.

I continued this process for the next few days, but by the fifth night I was despairing. Certainly I was managing to smuggle out the volatile explosive, but the minute amount I was able to obtain each day was disheartening. At this rate, it might take months to gather enough to create a detonation of the size I hoped.

Still, it was better than nothing. In the meantime, I could easily look out for other potential weapons materials.

The following day, as I was working in the manufacturing plant, a voice came on over the audio system.

"Power reduction measures to begin, effective immediately. Power shortage level 6."

No sooner had the voice finished speaking than the lights dimmed. Yet the conveyer belts kept moving, and now I had to squint to properly see what I was doing, especially as I enacted my surreptitious sabotage. Fortunately, having worked with the missiles for days, I quickly learned my way around them by touch, rather than by sight.

When our work time had concluded, we were lead to the Dining Hall, yet the majority of the room was dark. Instead, we were required to pick up our plates of food and stand in one of two groups. I wasn't entirely certain how these groups were being determined, but stood where I was directed. From what I could see, there was no obvious similarity amongst the women in my group, nor the women in the other group.

"Group A!" a voice called over the audio system. "You will depart with a partner from Group B, with whom you will share your living quarters. This will be until further notice."

It seemed that I was in Group A. I suddenly realized what I had in common with the women around me: our cells were all along the same corridor. The other Group A prisoners scrambled for position, apparently somewhat used to this scenario. I allowed them to move to wherever they desired, as I had no idea how this was supposed to work. It appeared that the women at the front of each line were being paired off. Now it became clear. The women in my line were doing their best to achieve a position similar to that of their desired 'living partner' in Group B. Out of morbid curiosity, I glanced across at the other line, looking to see which woman would be allocated as my 'partner'. The second group was still jockeying for position, making this difficult to determine.

Yet when I got to the front of the line, I couldn't have been more surprised. My partner was Norei.

Surely Norei must have had other women, of her 'clique', with whom she wished to be closeted? Yet suddenly, I realized the advantages. Now we would have a chance to discuss our plans for escape more regularly. It made a lot of sense, and I was impressed with her for managing to make this happen, while I had simply looked around in a clueless fashion.

Norei walked with me as the Enerwalls directed us back to my cell. I noticed that there was now a second sleeping platform sticking out of the wall, with sheets placed upon it. When we entered, Norei immediately sat down and began eating her now-cold dinner. I did the same, pausing only to drink some water from the 'sink' afterward. From what I could tell, it appeared that I hadn't drained much of the water reserves. Apparently having a roommate meant a larger water allocation as well.

Norei finished her meal, partaking of some water as I had. I noticed that she was as careful about rationing it as I was. She began making up her sleeping platform with the sheets that had been left for her. I extracted the sanitary pad, now streaked with trentorium residue, from my sleeve, placing it carefully on the floor beside me.

"What's that?" Norei asked, eyeing the pad.

"It's my latest weapon." I replied. "The sanitary pad blast."

"What is with you and your jokes?" Norei scowled. "I made a bad choice, partnering with you."

"So you _did_ choose me on purpose." I confirmed. "I thought so. Didn't you choose me because you wanted to talk about our plans?"

"Of course." Norei acknowledged. "But now you are making silly jokes."

"Not at all." I shook my head. "I was telling the truth." Briefly, I explained how I was making my 'bomb'.

"The caprosan fibers in the pad act as a stabilizer." I added. "The trentorium is relatively safe there, but the appropriate catalyst will set it off."

"What kind of catalyst?"

"Say, the low level sigma radiation from a hydronium reactor?" I smiled suggestively. Norei's eyes widened, then she nodded thoughtfully.

"You want to use this 'bomb' you are making to destroy the reactor."

"I don't have to destroy it: just disable it." I shrugged. "Once the base is lacking power, they shouldn't be able to contain us with those Enerwalls. Suddenly it becomes a fair fight. We may not even have to hack into the computer systems if we can just deny them the power to activate."

"I like this idea of yours." Norei approved.

"It's good to know that you like _something_ about me." I replied sarcastically.

"I like you." Norei appeared confused by my statement. "Did you not know that?"

"You certainly don't put out that vibe." I told her, surprised by her reaction. "In fact, it seems like you barely tolerate me. Partov is much friendlier to me than you are."

"I offered to let you work with me on my 'project'." Norei countered. "I let you sit at our table."

"I just thought that you only did that because you thought I was of use to you. That's a far cry from liking someone."

"Do you like me?" Norei suddenly countered.

"I'm not really sure I know you well enough to answer." I replied, thinking over the matter. "I haven't really gotten a chance to know you, like I have some of the others."

"What do you want to know?"

"You're a very direct person, Norei."

"Does that bother you?"

"No… it's just not exactly what I'm used to."

"You… G-Force… you don't tell each other the truth?"

"Of course we do! We're always honest with each other. But sometimes, you just don't want to share _everything_ with everyone."

"You have secrets."

"Not exactly… sort of. I mean, little things. Not anything that would impact our duty to defend the Federation."

"What kind of little things?"

"Well… like, if I'm just in a bad mood, or feeling a bit depressed, that's not something I try to advertise."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to bring others down. And if they know, they might ask why I'm feeling low, and then I'd have to explain."

"Why do you feel down?"

"Wow, you really were serious about getting to know each other better, weren't you?" I fended off her question.

"You aren't answering."

"I'm not sure I'm ready to talk about that." I admitted.

"With me? You don't trust me?"

"With anyone. Everyone has things about themselves they like to keep private. Don't you?"

"Yes."

"So you understand. Some things I just don't want to discuss."

"It is amusing to see you so exasperated."

"Huh?"

"Now you understand how you make _me_ feel."

My mouth fell open for a moment, and then I caught sight of the barest twinkle in Norei's eye. The humor of the situation suddenly hit me and I began to laugh. Like a wave, the laughter flowed through me, refreshing my mind and bringing with it an inner strength that I had sorely needed. I couldn't stop; I was giggling and choking in my mirth. Attempts to stop only made me start up again.

After a few moments, Norei smiled as well, and then suddenly she joined in. We were both laughing together for a few hexons. Eventually, of course, the laughter did recede, but our smiles remained.

"That felt… good." Norei admitted.

"I haven't felt that good since before I was captured." I concurred.

"I don't remember ever feeling that good."

"Really?" My heart went out to the woman who couldn't recall any joyous moments in her life.

"My family… they are of a higher caste. There are protocols… accepted behaviors. Open laughter is not permissible, even in children."

"You weren't allowed to laugh as a child?"

"On very rare occasions, when I was in private. But even then it felt… like I was doing something wrong."

"Laughter is a necessary part of life… at least, my life." I quickly amended my blanket statement, for fear offending Norei. "It's important to enjoy living. Without that, why would I fight to preserve life, or protect others' lives?"

"I hadn't thought of it in that way." Norei's forehead wrinkled in contemplation of the idea. "I joined the Empire's Fighting Forces because it was my duty to do so. Atrocities were being committed against our people, and I was strong enough to stop them."

"Funny, that was pretty much my viewpoint as well."

"Yes… I suppose it would have been." Norei acknowledged. "Did you… commit atrocities?"

"Personally? No. I've never done anything as part of G-Force that I would be ashamed to admit to. But I can't speak for everyone in the Federation. I suppose there have probably been 'atrocities' committed on both sides. Frankly, I'd just like the war to end, so we can finally be at peace."

"Is that the only reason you want to be at peace? To stop 'atrocities'?"

"Well obviously I want the people of the Federation to be safe."

"But do you have any personal desire for peace?"

"Of course. My life would certainly be easier if we were at peace with Spectra. For one thing, I wouldn't be here."

"I would."

"You don't know that. Perhaps if the war ended, Zoltar might let all prisoners…"

"You really don't get it, do you? And here I thought you possessed some intelligence."

"You mean, that this is a 'Traitor's' Prison? Yeah, I get that." I replied. "But from the women I've spoken with, it seems like many of these instances of being 'traitors' directly or indirectly resulted from the war…"

"If it wasn't the war, it would be something else." Norei revealed. "Most of the women here… they were actively rebelling against the Spectran government."

"You mean, an organized resistance?" I was shocked. "Looking to overthrow Zoltar?"

"Yes." Norei confirmed. "The largest group, calling themselves the Yellow Flag, recruited hundreds of people in its ranks. They attempted to march on Cabara, a city on the Western continent. They would have succeeded as well, but that they had Lord Zoltar's spies in their ranks. They never stood a chance, with their every move being broadcast to the government."

"What were their complaints with the current government?" I was curious.

"The rights of women, particularly unmarried or widowed women." Norei explained. "Protests against food shortages, wasting resources on military activities when citizens are starving here on Spectra. Many also protested the caste system, which prevented people from attaining certain employment or moving to the Capital, where food is plentiful. There are other issues as well, but these are the common reasons that Spectrans rebel against the government."

"How many of the women here were part of these movements?"

"Perhaps two dozen. Others were simply working on their own, gaining sympathy on the broadcasts, not realizing how their activities were frowned upon by the government. Lord Zoltar is harsh with anyone who generates 'sympathy' amongst the upper castes. The rebels must be viewed as unreasonable outlaws."

"Is that how you saw them, as a Galaxy Girl?"

"I did… at first." To my surprise, Norei appeared shamefaced. "But now… having seen the women here… it's… different."

"Your own experiences didn't make a difference as well?"

"Not in that way. It took listening to the others, hearing their stories. Knowing that Partov had her security stolen from her, that Dimal's husband was denied work for having turned down Lady Mala's request for 'favors', that Fanel's entire family had been hunted down and shot, like animals… it's no wonder they did what they did. We all have a breaking point, and I think, in their positions, I would have reached mine as well."

"Do you sympathize with the rebels, then?"

"Things have to change." Norei responded slowly, truly thinking about her answer. "They cannot go on as they have been. No matter one's political views, it is clear that things are unstable. They will _have_ to change."

"What kinds of changes are needed?"

"People need to trust in the government. They need to know that our leader is working in the interests of the Spectran people."

"Whose interests is Lord Zoltar acting in now?"

"It's difficult to say. I don't really know the man." Norei admitted.

"What little I know of him is not pleasant." I frowned. "But then, we haven't exactly met under the best of circumstances. Yet even so… He's very stressed. He's innately a selfish person, and even cowardly at times… but I don't think he acts very much in his own interests. During my trial, he acted as if he was walking on a tightrope… He certainly had his own agenda, yet he was a captive to his audience. He was clearly concerned that they think well of him, and that he be portrayed in a certain light. It was the only advantage I had over him, and I used it as much as I could. Still, if it hadn't been for Tavis…"

"Tavis?" Norei asked sharply. "Tavis Demandro?"

"Yes." I confirmed. "I guess he's well-known on Spectra, being on the broadcasts?"

"Not just that." Norei confided. "Many of the women here know him. He has been acting secretly as a mouthpiece for the rebel movement. He angles the news in such a way as to arouse sympathy for the rebels."

I recalled the strange conversations I had had with Tavis, which hadn't entirely made sense at the time. Yet I had been so preoccupied with my own immediate problems that I hadn't paid sufficient attention.

"Lord Zoltar can't do anything to him openly, as he is beloved by the people. And he has officially done nothing wrong."

"I suspect that's changed." I told her sadly. "Last I saw, he and Zoltar were wrestling on the floor of the Hall of Light, during the riot that broke out at the end of my trial. He had been pleading openly for my life to be spared." I realized that in my own self-absorption, I had barely given Tavis a second thought since my arrival here. The man might have given up his life to save mine, and I hadn't even acknowledged his sacrifice.

"He is a good man." I told Norei. "He stands up for his principles. I hope that he has survived."

"It is troubling to know that he has breached proprieties in this manner." Norei admitted. "I'm not certain that it would have been possible for him to escape 'justice'."

"The courtroom was a mess." I did what I could to reassure Norei. "Chaos. It's quite possible he could have escaped."

"I will hold onto that hope then, until I hear otherwise." Norei held her chin high. "In the meantime… I ask you not to reveal this information to the others. They would be… devastated."

"I understand." I replied solemnly. "I'll keep it between us."

"You know," Norei looked at me with a cool, assessing gaze, "I think I believe you."

"When I make a promise, I keep it."

"So you've said."

"You've trusted me this far."

"I suppose I have."

"For what it's worth, I trust you as well."

"That's interesting… what have I done to earn your trustworthiness?"

"You have entrusted me with your secrets, and not betrayed mine."

"I suppose I have." Norei smiled slightly. "And you have proven yourself useful. I like your idea regarding the trentorium."

"I don't suppose you're now willing to let me in on some of _your_ ideas?"

"Perhaps…" Norei's eyebrow arched suggestively, and I burst out in laughter once more. It seemed the woman did have a sense of humor after all, albeit a strange one.

We spent a long time discussing information relevant to our desire to escape. Norei explained her plans to instruct the other women in offensive techniques, taking advantages of known weaknesses in Spectran soldier training. She had a plan devised to abscond with knives from the kitchen, but so far had not been able to implement it, as it required her being assigned to the correct duty station. I suggested creating some kind of acidic weapon, like a crude form of pepper spray, from the stain remover in the laundry. Sprayed into a guard's eyes, it would incapacitate him for at least a day, if not permanently blind the man. We brainstormed, tossing out ideas both practical and fanciful, and I found myself actually enjoying the conversation.

A member of G-Force and a Galaxy Girl. Imagine that.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The following morning, the power reduction measures were still in effect. Norei had explained that since Spectra was lacking in resources on a planetary scale, when manufacturing production reached especially high levels there was often insufficient power for all civilian needs. At such times, the planet would experience temporary shortages of hydronium and other power resources, resulting in planet-wide power reductions for varying lengths of time. Spectrans were used to such interruptions to their daily lives, as they experienced them many times each year. The shortages would usually last at least a tennight, if not longer.

At the prison the biggest use of power, other than the manufacturing facilities, was the use of Enerwalls. By forcing the inmates to bunk together, use of the force fields was cut in half. Norei and I continued to take advantage of this time, talking into the nights on a wide variety of matters, both topics relevant to our escape plans, and more personal issues as well. I found that she was opening up to me much more than I had ever imagined, and I did my best to respond in the same manner.

Yet when we were in the presence of others (primarily at breakfast, since Gymnasium time was canceled and dinner eaten in our cells due to the power reduction) Norei was as distant as ever, although she insisted on sitting next to me at every opportunity. Was she ashamed of our conversations, or did she not entirely trust me? These were questions that I could not bring myself to ask, for fear of destroying the tentative friendship were beginning to establish.

Whatever the reason, it did not change. Life continued in this manner for five days; just long enough that I got used to the new routine. Of course, it was then that things went awry once more. One evening my cell door opened and I was instructed to step into the corridor, with Norei remaining inside. I did not look at her as I left, following the Enerwalls that directed my movements. I understood exactly where I was being taken.

The chair at my destination was the same as it had been the previous time I had visited. The memory taunted me, creating an ominous feel to the nearly empty chamber. As always, I was compelled to sit, and the metallic tentacles reached out to ensnare me the moment I was in position.

As usual, it didn't take long for Zoltar to enter.

"It's _your_ fault!" he shouted, clearly angered even as he arrived. "If you were the Commander, the others would be lost! _Your_ absence doesn't affect them at all! You're insignificant!" Mentally I cringed at the Spectran Leader's words. It was clear that Zoltar had suffered another defeat at G-Force's hands. Naturally I was happy that such a thing had occurred, but a small part of me wondered if the Spectran Leader was right. Did they miss me at all? Were they able to go on defeating Spectra, even though I wasn't there?

Had I been of any real use to the G-Force Team?

Angrily I pushed away these damaging thoughts. Zoltar had no idea what he was talking about. He was just mad that he had been defeated. I hoped Mark had destroyed another huge robot… two huge robots! I hoped that months and months of Zoltar's work had been destroyed.

"But you just had to take his place!" Zoltar shook his fist under my nose. It took some resolve on my part not to turn away, remembering the state I had been in leaving this room on our previous encounter. My face had fully healed, and according to Norei the swelling was completely gone, although apparently I still bore yellowish patches from the larger bruises.

"I would do anything to protect my Commander." I replied, refusing to focus on the Spectran Leader's face. Zoltar's fist swung back, and I steeled myself for impact. Yet suddenly he dropped his hand, deflated of his anger.

"You're not the Commander! I can't even treat you as you deserve!" he hissed. I could see emotions warring on his face, and the light in his eyes was not that of a sane person. I gathered that he was reluctant to kill me, yet a large part of him wanted to. I wasn't certain what was holding him back, yet I prayed that whatever it was, it would remain strong… strong enough to ensure that I survived this place.

"You're not the Commander…" Zoltar's voice took on a thoughtful tone, turning away. "You're only a female, not worthy of any consideration…" He rounded on me suddenly, and I couldn't help drawing back at the malicious expression on his face.

"I should treat you as a female." he sneered. A chill went down my spine as it suddenly occurred to me exactly what he meant. No… I couldn't let _that_ happen. I wouldn't!

Yet there was nothing I could do. If there had been, I would have done it long ago. I was immobilized in this torture device of a chair, at the mercy of a madman who hated me with a passion so strong it was nearly tangible.

"Hold!" Zoltar ordered, slamming his hands down on my head, forcing my right ear to touch the back of the chair as he turned my neck. Two more tentacles wrapped themselves around my left ear and over my forehead, preventing me from moving any further.

"Now you'll beg… just as a woman should!" he snarled, reaching toward the front of his uniform. I desperately wanted to deny what was happening, yet I found myself unable to do so much as close my eyes. Transfixed in horror, I was unable to tear my gaze from the already-stiffened peg of flesh jutting from between his thighs. This was something I had never imagined, much less planned for. It was all I could do to keep from screaming.

Yet even so, Zoltar knew that he had me. He understood that he had finally found something that would truly hurt me, in the way that he had intended all along.

"Beg." he demanded, his lips twisting cruelly. Yet I could not. I knew that no matter what I did, he was going to force himself upon me. I could not demean myself further by giving in. No. Anything he took from me would be forced, and in that sense, it wouldn't be taken at all.

Of course, ideals such as this were difficult to retain in the face of what was literally being thrust upon me. I mashed my lips together, creating a physical barrier against Zoltar's disgusting flesh as he pushed it against my mouth.

"Beg." he taunted me. "Beg, and I'll give you what you want." Unfortunately, his diseased mind had probably twisted things such that he actually thought I wanted his repulsive attentions.

Unfortunately, Zoltar wasn't so far gone that he couldn't think of a way around my reluctance. One gloved hand reached out, grabbing my nose and pressing my nostrils shut. After a few moments I was forced to open my mouth of my own accord, to gasp for air, and he took full advantage, pushing forward past my lips.

I nearly gagged as his putrid flesh entered my mouth, and the smell wasn't much better. For an instant I was frozen in terror and disgust at what was happening to me. Zoltar's mouth twisted in a display of hateful glee.

"Now we'll see what you're good for…" he taunted, moving his hateful appendage back and forth across my tongue. My gorge rose and I nearly vomited, yet somehow, I was denied even that release.

"Put more effort into it!" Zoltar hissed, yanking my hair until it felt as if he was tearing it out at the roots. Tears of pain and degradation slipped from my eyes. I had no choice. So I did the only thing I could do.

I bit down. Hard.

Blood immediately filled my mouth. Sickened by the taste, I opened my mouth, spitting out its contents in a messy burst. The gory spray hit Zoltar's uniform, some of the detritus splashing back onto my own face. The Spectran Leader howled in pain and outrage, dropping to the floor and curling into the fetal position.

Guards rushed into the room, surrounding Zoltar so that I could no longer see any part of him. I heard their exclamations of dismay and disgust, but there was also an overtone of fear. A distant part of me understood that they were uncomfortable with the nature of their leader's injury; that in some masculine way they empathized with him.

The swarm of men left the room, taking Zoltar with them.

I lay on the chair for a long time, unable to move, seemingly forgotten. Yet eventually the Enerwalls appeared, and the metallic arms of the chair retracted. Shakily I stood, following the blue pathway out of the door and into the corridor.

I had no idea where I was being taken. It was entirely possible that I was only going to my own execution. Yet I doggedly continued onward. In a way, I didn't care what happened to me now. Mark was safe. G-Force was continuing to defeat Spectra's offensives. And I had been able to fight back against the ultimate indignity that Zoltar had attempted to impose upon me.

I was barely aware of what I was doing, but suddenly I felt hands on my shoulders. I blinked blearily, realizing that I was back in my cell, Norei staring at me in alarm.

"Swan… blood…" she gasped. "It's all over you…"

"It's not mine…" I managed to whisper, sinking down to my sleeping platform, grabbing the rough sheet and wrapping it around myself. A far away, analytical part of my mind told me that I was in shock, and instinctively I attempted to combat this situation.

"Whose is it?" Norei asked. She was wiping at my face with a clean sanitary pad, mopping up a surprising amount of gore.

"Zoltar…" The word slipped out of my mouth, and I stared blankly at Norei, not quite comprehending what she was doing. I felt a bit of cool water on my face, and her fingers wiping at my cheeks and chin.

"You're here." Norei kept repeating. "It must be okay, because you're here…"

"Prisoner Norei, step into the corridor."

The door was open, and I could see the blue light of the Enerwalls beyond the confines of my cell.

"Don't leave me…" I whispered. Suddenly, I needed the humanoid contact.

"You are strong. _Be strong_." Norei urged. I reached out for her, yet she was moving away.

The cell door closed, but the blue light remained. I saw the Enerwalls closing in on me from all sides, including the ceiling. Recalling the time when Zoltar had nearly crushed my entire body in such a manner I panicked, scrambling backwards like a frightened crab, until I was backed up on the floor, in the corner with the drain and sink. The walls stopped a short distance away from me, leaving me encased within a small cube, approximately one and a half meters on each side. The room went dark.

I was truly alone.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

I'm not sure how long I sat there. Time either passed by slowly or quickly; there was no way to tell. The cell was dark, save only for the soft blue illumination from the Enerwalls encasing me. I guessed that these force fields allowed the passage of air, else certainly I should have run out of oxygen. I slept and woke, slept and woke, too many times to count. Hunger came and went, then came back with a vengeance. At times I drank the water from the sink, glad to note that the indicator appeared to be moving slowly. Apparently it was still set to a level to accommodate two prisoners in the room.

I used the balled up sheet as a pillow, leaning against the Enerwalls for support as I slept. My legs cramped, and I did my best to stretch them out in the limited space. I existed in less than three and a half cubic meters: my world had shrunk to a space far smaller than the interior of Keyop's Space Buggy.

Some of the time I simply drifted, not quite connected to what was happening to me. At other moments I was painfully aware, and part of me wondered if I was simply going to be left here to rot. I wasn't entirely certain how long I could last without food. I was tempted to activate my cerebonics and allow them to create emergency sustenance for me. Yet once that revival was through, I would require food immediately. My body would be utterly drained.

It looked like I was going to die one way or the other. Yet still, I help on to that last remaining alternative. My one chance to survive just a little bit longer.

I distracted myself away from starvation with thoughts of home. How long had it been since I had had the simple pleasure of playing my guitar? Eaten until I was full? Relaxed in a bathtub? How long since I had been surrounded by family and friends: people whom I could innately trust, around whom I could completely relax?

How long had it been since I had last seen Mark?

The questions remained unanswered, yet they brought with them a wealth of memories, especially when I thought about Mark. I had always known that I would give my life for my Commander, and now it seemed as if I was doing exactly that. Yet I didn't regret what I had done. My only regret was what Zoltar had attempted to force upon me. I knew such actions 'didn't count' if I had fought them off… yet still, they distressed me. I had precious little experience of the physical side of loving relationships, yet I had always hoped that one day that might change, with Mark… one day, in the future, when we were both ready to accept the complications that such a thing might bring to our lives.

Now, whatever happened, it would be tarnished. How long had I clung to those girlish dreams of a perfect first experience with Mark? I wanted to forget everything that had happened, yet I found my mind dwelling on every disgusting detail. Was there anything I could have done differently? Anything to prevent such an assault from happening?

In the end, I concluded that the answer was no. I could never have given in to Zoltar, and eventually his sick mind would have come up with this 'plan of attack'. At the very least, I had made him pay dearly for his presumption. Part of me wondered _how_ dearly. Would the Spectran Leader be able to recover? I didn't know if leadership of the Empire was a hereditary position or not. Would Zoltar be able to procreate after this? If not, would Mala be the one to carry on the family rank?

Of course, answers to such questions were not provided, but pondering these things allowed time to pass more quickly… or at least, I hoped it was doing so.

In any case, I was no longer able to hold thoughts together for long. So much of the time things were fuzzy, or I simply wanted to sleep. My eyes closed…

It was bright.

Too bright. Weakly, I reached up to cover my eyes. After a few long moments, I slowly cracked open my eyelids.

The Enerwalls were gone.

I was still in my cell, but now the lights were on. It had to be some kind of trick. Blearily I stared at the light fixture, waiting for the illumination to go out.

It stayed on.

Cautiously, I reached forward, stretching my arm out to its full length.

No barrier.

Carefully, I pushed my weakened body across the floor, passing the point where the Enerwall barrier had been. I looked around, waiting for the other shoe to drop, yet nothing happened.

I was just calming down my furiously beating heart when the door opened.

"Step into the hallway."

I could hardly believe my ears. The command sounded mundane, as if this request was the same as the one made every usual day. But this was far from the usual situation.

I groped with my hand, reaching for the sleeping platform. Slowly I placed weight on my feet, using the bed for support. My legs creaked and groaned, having grown unused to such exercise. Surprisingly, the voice did not repeat the request, and the open door waited patiently for me to move toward it.

Carefully I let go of the sleeping platform, teetering slightly but using my implant to assist in balance. Every movement seemed to take a maximum of effort, and drain what precious little there was left of my energy reserves.

Yet I was compelled to keep moving. I shuffled forward like an old woman, yet somehow managed to propel myself just enough. I reached the door, the soft blue glow of the Enerwalls washing over me.

Using the force fields for balance and support, I made my way down the corridor. It seemed to take an eternity, yet still, I kept going. Whatever was happening, wherever I was going, it had to be better than the certain death that had been about to overtake me in my cell.

I still had my implant's emergency sustenance routine left. If this was leading me into a trap, I still had one chance to fight back. I had to hold on, until I knew exactly what was in store for me.

Time crawled forward, and my feeble legs didn't do much better. Yet I continued to make progress, centimeter by centimeter.

When I saw that the path was leading to the doors of the Dining Hall, I nearly wept. The sight energized me enough to reach my destination, and the portal swung open before my hopeful gaze.

The Dining Hall was full of women eating breakfast (or so I judged, based on the gruel-like mush they were eating). A few of the prisoners closest to me glanced up, their mouths falling open as they saw that I was passing by. Each look, not to mention the smell of food (even the disgusting slop they served here) drove me onward. I ignored the stares and gaping, making my way to the food line.

A plate had been left for me. It was piled high with perhaps three times the usual serving. Gratefully I picked it up, almost forgetting to grab the plastic spoon in my excitement. Carefully I balanced my treasure as I lurched back into the throngs of women, every last one of them now focused on me.

I moved past the first table, intent on my final destination, when a movement caught my peripheral vision. I turned my head slightly, astonished to see Genalla standing in place at her table. She smiled encouragingly at me, and then Thanto rose to join her. I continued moving forward, but every step I took caused other women to rise, and by the time I had reached the center table, every woman at every other table in the room was standing.

As I approached the center table, my gaze fell on Norei. Her eyes widened, and then she too rose to a stand. The five women with her followed suit, all of them fixing their attention on me.

I wasn't certain what was going on, and I was too hungry to care. At that point, I could barely prevent myself from tearing into my food like a starving animal. I simply nodded at everyone and collapsed down onto the bench, dropping my plate onto the table in front of me. Eagerly I dug into the mush, spooning it gratefully into my mouth.

It tasted like heaven.

Something in the back of my mind suggested that I eat slowly, and I did so, carefully placing every spoonful into my mouth. The women at other tables slowly sat down in piecemeal fashion, and after a short while everyone was sitting once more. I noticed the other women at the center table shuffling around, surrounding me with inquisitive eyes, yet no one said a word.

I felt a hand on my arm and I turned to see Norei on my right. Her eyes were… there was something in there I'd never seen from her before, but I found it strangely comforting.

I continued to eat, methodically putting the food in my mouth, feeling stronger with every bite. A part of me longed for a drink of water, but the urge to simply fill my stomach was stronger. I did not stop until my plate was completely clean.

It was clear that the other women were intensely curious, yet I ignored them in favor of my meal. Right now, that was the only focus I was capable of. Hopefully, there would be a chance to speak later, so that I could figure out exactly what was going on.

The usual faceless voice announced that the meal was over, and the women began to file out of the room as they were called. The ones who passed near me smiled and nodded respectfully in my direction, and I did my best to acknowledge their gestures. I didn't quite understand what was happening, but guessed that if people were offering their friendship, I would do well not to turn it down.

Everyone headed off for their work assignments, and my heart fell. I felt better for having eaten, yet my strength was still low. I didn't know how well I would perform at my assigned task, and I didn't want to slow down anyone else, thereby creating complications for others. Yet to my surprise, I found that I didn't have to face this dilemma. While the other women were directed to their tasks, I alone was sent off in a different direction, returning to my cell. Gratefully I sank down onto my sleeping platform, which had been allotted fresh sheets. It was wonderful to be able to properly stretch out for the first time in days. Within seconds I was fast asleep.

I dozed off and on throughout the following hexors, letting my mind drift as my full stomach digested the 'nutrients' I had been given that morning. After some time, I wasn't surprised to see the cell door open.

What did surprise me was seeing Norei enter.

Norei bore two plates, both of them filled with the usual portion of pureed starch. She also had two silver containers of gattan.

"We're still on power reduction, so we have to eat in out cells." she explained, setting one of the plates down before me on the bed.

"What's with the gattan?" I asked, gesturing with my fork to indicate the containers of purple beverage. "I seem to recall that you wouldn't allow it at your table?"

"We're not at the table." Norei responded coolly. For a moment I thought she might be angry, then I noticed a quick glimmer in her eye. She was joking with me!

"During power reductions, when we eat in our cells, they give us gattan in containers." Norei explained. "And I was thinking that they might help us out with your little idea."

"What idea?"

"About the stain remover: making some kind of caustic spray. Next time we're assigned to laundry, we could take these containers in with us and fill them with the stain remover."

"Norei, that's a great idea!" I grinned approvingly. "I can see you've been busy while I've been… away."

"To be honest… I wasn't certain you were coming back." Norei admitted. "When I left you, you weren't quite…"

"Mentally stable." I filled in for her. "Yeah, I know. I think I was suffering from shock."

"And then you simply disappeared. We didn't know what had happened to you. Well... we didn't know what had happened _after_."

"After…? "

"We know what happened with Lord Zoltar."

"What?" She wasn't saying what I thought she was saying…

"That he tried to… force you. Fanel heard it from the guards. They were all talking about it. I guess they saw…"

"There were a lot of guards there, yes." I hedged. I couldn't help the shame flooding my face. It was bad enough that this had happened, but to have others know about it…

"You're… embarrassed?" Norei appeared confused.

"It isn't exactly something I'd like to remember." I admitted. "And to know that people are talking about it…"

"Everyone knows." Norei confirmed my fears. "That's the kind of story that spreads fast."

"Oh no…" I buried my face in my hands, my dinner forgotten.

"Didn't you wonder why everyone stood for you?"

"Stood for me?"

"On Spectra, it's a sign of respect." Norei attempted to explain. "To show that you understand their bravery…. their spirit."

"Bravery?" I snorted, attempting a false bravado I didn't feel. "There was nothing brave about it. I was completely held in place by that damn chair, and those force fields… it wasn't like there was much I could do."

"But you did something anyway." Norei reminded me. "You fought back. You didn't just let him do what he wanted."

"Anyone would have done that…"

"No." Norei disagreed. "We've always been taught that we must obey the government. That the Great Spirit is absolute, and that Lord Zoltar is his representative. Of course, all of us here have doubts, but none of us have ever had to face him directly. I don't know of any woman here who would have had the strength you did to stand up to him."

"I didn't…"

"Don't give me any false modesty! I saw you when you came back!" Norei was actually angry with me. "You told me that the blood all over your face belonged to Lord Zoltar. At the time, I thought that perhaps you were wrong about that, but when we heard about where you had bitten him… You were strong."

"It was the only thing I could do." I told her. "I wasn't about to let him take any pleasure in what he was doing."

"You didn't give up."

"No, I guess not. If I were the kind of person to give up, I wouldn't be planning an escape with you, would I?"

"No." Norei seemed somewhat appeased by my admission. "You know… at first, the rumor was that you had bitten it completely off."

"No…" I was disgusted. "I couldn't have…"

"The guards who rushed in there thought you had. They were saying that for a couple of days… enough that some kind of medical report was released. 'Damage, but no loss of appendage.' it said."

"Fanel certainly finds out a lot of information." I shifted uncomfortably on the sleeping platform.

"It's easier when the guards _want_ to speak. Even Warden Weckor. It was all they talked about for days."

"Are they still talking about it?"

"Probably."

"Great." I sighed. "Now I'll have this following me forever."

"You should be proud of your actions." Norei lectured. "If the others see that you are ashamed, they wouldn't understand. They would question whether what you did was right. You have to show them that Lord Zoltar is weak. He's a man, and he is fallible. He can be injured, just like any other man."

"I suppose… I never thought about it that way. You might be right."

"Of course I'm right." Norei answered smugly. "Now that that's settled, after I left this cell, what _did_ happen to you? Where did they take you?"

"I stayed here." I replied. I explained how I had been 'incarcerated' from within my own cell.

"But… you've been gone for five days!" Norei exclaimed. "You had nothing to eat for five days?"

"Is that how long it was?" I asked. "I wasn't certain."

"I thought perhaps… that you had been killed…"

"If they wanted to kill me, I would have been dead long ago." That was one thing I was certain of. "For whatever reason, Zoltar wants me alive. I just wish I knew why."

"Maybe…" Norei stared at the wall without truly seeing it. "Maybe it's for the same reason that the rest of us are alive."

"And why is that?"

"When men are convicted of being traitors, they are usually put to death." Norei revealed. "But women… on Spectra, there's a perception that women are gentle creatures, who perhaps might have acted in a misguided fashion. But generally the people don't feel that women are actual _threats_." I nodded. This was consistent with the 'old-fashioned' ideals that I had heard from Partov and others, regarding the place of women in Spectran society.

"So you're suggesting that women aren't put to death because they're women?" I asked. "That putting a woman to death might anger the general population?"

"I'm not suggesting it, I'm reasonably certain." Norei explained. "That's one of the reasons there are cameras everywhere. Every so often, the government releases footage of us, to prove that we are still alive."

"But why would the Spectran people care if I was alive…?" My words drifted off into the air as I realized the answer to my own question. Tavis… His portrayal of me on the broadcasts had been sympathetic. If I had truly aroused some feeling amongst the Spectran people… and judging by the way many of them had reacted after my sentence had been pronounced, it would seem that I had… then it would make sense that Zoltar wanted to be able to 'prove' to them that the sentence they had so hotly contested hadn't been carried out.

"That's why Zoltar wanted me to say that I was being well-treated!" I grinned in sudden realization. "He wanted the people to think he was being lenient with me! Only… why does he care so much? Zoltar is 'supreme ruler', or whatever the heck it is he likes to call himself. Why does it matter?"

"The rebels." Norei replied, somewhat surprised that I hadn't already figured this out for myself. "He doesn't want the people to sympathize with the rebels. The entire structure of our government is dependent upon the people's goodwill. If enough people rebel, Lord Zoltar's power is threatened."

"Even if the Great Spirit supports him?"

"The Great Spirit is a myth." Norei sniffed. "No one ever sees him, and we only have Lord Zoltar's and Lady Mala's word to take for it that he even exists. Legends from long ago tell of the Luminous One, but only in the past twenty years has there been anything to suggest that he _still_ inhabits this planet."

"Do many people feel as you do?" I asked cautiously. I was reluctant to tell Norei that I had witnessed the Great Spirit's power for myself, high on a mountaintop in the Himalayan mountains of Earth.

"Every woman here." Norei replied solemnly. But her eyes were twinkling. I grinned back at her.

"That's hardly surprising." I commented dryly, letting her know that I got the joke. She smiled briefly, then suddenly appeared serious.

"When you were gone… I missed you."

"Trust me, I would have liked to have seen you too."

"No, I mean… I enjoy our conversations. It is nice to have… an equal." Yet the way she had paused before her last word, I wondered if she had been about to say something else.

"I admit, having you here is a big advantage to the power reductions." I told her. "It's been very lonely for me in this place."

"Are you used to being around others?"

"You could say that." I rolled my eyes. "My Team and I practically live in each other's pockets. Technically we reside in separate places, but somehow everyone always comes to my place to hang out. It's like we're not entirely comfortable unless we know where everyone else is."

"But right now, they _don't_ know where you are."

"No." I had to look away. No matter how friendly I had become with Norei, I didn't want her to see the emotions welling up inside of me. G-Force was the only family I had ever known. I had never truly had a friend outside of the Team, and being away from them now hurt terribly. Suddenly, I felt very small and alone.

"They are missing you."

"I would like to think so."

"But they are four, and you are one."

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious." I hadn't meant for my response to sound bitter, yet it happened all the same.

"All I meant was that it must be much more difficult for you… being alone."

"At least I know where I am, and I know where they are." I pointed out. But my counter argument sounded hollow, even to my own ears.

"You will see them again."

"You're so certain, are you?"

"Of course I am. We will escape this place and you will return to your home."

"It doesn't bother you that if I return home, I'll be fighting Spectrans again?"

"You won't be fighting _me_." Norei shrugged pragmatically. "You'll be fighting the government."

"You mean… you don't care if we win the war?"

"Is the Federation planning on invading Spectra?"

"No. Not at all. All we want is for Spectra to stop invading us."

"I have no problem with that." Norei revealed. "In fact, if the war ended, there would be far more resources for the rest of the planet: people who aren't in the forces."

"You're saying that if these rebels manage to 'take over' the government, they'll stop the war?"

"It's quite likely."

"That's very interesting."

"_How_ interesting?"

"I'm not sure what you're getting at."

"Would the Federation be interested in backing such a proposition?"

"I…" I was taken aback by the boldness of her request. "I honestly don't know. I'm not in any position to make a decision like that."

"But you would communicate our intentions to the right people."

"Yes, definitely." I assured her. "My superior is in direct contact with President Kane. I'd be able to reach the right people." Something sparked inside of me. Was it possible that we could actually end this war that had been dragging on for years?

Of course, to find out, I'd have to get out of this place.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The following day I was back at 'work', inserting trentorium into Spectran missiles, with a little light sabotage on the side. At the end of the work period it was announced that the power reduction was over. We were returning to our 'regular' routine. As such, that evening we had dinner as a group in the Dining Hall, and we all went to the Gymnasium after eating. Norei motioned for me to follow her. I saw that she had Fanel with her as well. I joined the pair in a quiet corner of the room.

"Fanel, next work cycle, we all need to be on laundry." Norei got right to the point.

"_All_ of us?" Fanel's eyes darted toward me curiously.

"The three of us… and Dimal. I want people who know when they're 'not seeing anything'." Norei clarified.

"The next work cycle starts in two days." Fanel frowned. "This is short notice."

"I have faith in you." Norei replied calmly.

"You always do." Fanel sighed, although she sounded as if this was a burden, rather than a compliment. I understood how she felt.

"Whatever you can do would be appreciated." I added. "I know it's a lot to ask." Fanel eyed me curiously.

"I suppose you do." she said, her eyes studying me curiously. I couldn't help flushing as I understood what she was thinking.

"I'll make it happen." Fanel assured us. Norei nodded approvingly.

"I knew you would." she said. Fanel nodded in acceptance, then quietly moved off to speak with Dimal.

"She's that 'well-connected'?" I asked.

"Fanel is very good at picking up information… and occasionally asking for favors." Norei shrugged. "It has come in very useful. It's not unusual for women to request 'lighter' duty, or to be assigned to work duty with their friends. There should be no suspicions."

"Is that what we are?" I asked, raising my eyebrows curiously. "Friends?"

"I suppose…. if we must." Norei grimaced, but I could see the amusement behind her facial expression.

"Works for me." I replied casually. "This is the kind of place where I could use a friend."

"It's not a good place to be alone." Norei concurred.

"Are you sure including Dimal is a good idea?" I questioned. "I don't think she approves of me."

"She'll approve of whomever I want." Norei smirked confidently. "Besides, her main objection regarding you was that you were an offworlder. That hardly matters anymore."

"Why not?"

"What you did to Lord Zoltar has earned you respect far beyond any such consideration." Norei revealed. "Dimal was impressed… we were we all."

"I see." Actually, I didn't entirely see, but if Dimal had changed her opinion of me for the better, I wasn't about to complain. Still, it was difficult to push aside my shame at the knowledge that everyone had heard of my 'interaction' with Zoltar.

Fanel was as good as Norei had said. Two days later the tennight ended and the work assignments were reallocated. Dimal, Norei, Fanel and I were assigned to the laundry. I showed the women the system I had worked out before, with Partov, Genalla and Thanto, but it turned out the Dimal and Fanel were already familiar with the routine. Apparently the information had been 'passed on' to other women as they had made their rounds to the laundry.

"I'll deal with the stain remover first." Norei volunteered. I could see that this surprised Fanel and Dimal, and surmised that the former Galaxy Girl rarely took on this task. But to their credit, they kept their heads down and their eyes on their own work. I risked a quick glance, and noted Norei filling up the silver container that had formerly held gattan, which was concealed in her sleeve. Quickly, she capped up the opening, then shoved it back underneath her baggy garment.

When it was my turn I did the same, carefully filling the small bag with the caustic liquid and concealing it once more inside my sleeve. Norei and I had collected ten gattan bags, and we had decided to each fill one of them every day for five days. We had determined that the extra usage of the stain remover was less likely to be noticed in this manner.

At the end of the day, we had a few hexors of time to ourselves after we had completed our work. Gratefully we sat down, appreciative of the rare chance to rest.

"Did everything work out to your satisfaction?" Fanel asked quietly.

"Yes." Norei nodded, glancing sidelong at me. I nodded briefly in agreement.

"Thank you for arranging everything, Fanel." I said.

"It wasn't too difficult." she shrugged. "Not really any different from what I normally do."

"I know that can't be easy for you." I sympathized.

"I gather it wasn't easy for you." she challenged. The expression on her face was more curious than confrontational.

"No." I admitted. "When Zoltar wants something, he's fairly aggressive about it."

"But you fought him off." Dimal observed in a neutral tone.

"Not really." I sighed. "I was completely restrained. I didn't really have a choice of attack. I just used the only weapon I had."

"Apparently it was fairly effective." Fanel smirked. "Rumor is that he spent a full day in surgery, so everything could be reattached, and then three days in a regenerative chamber, allowing the skin to heal."

"Too bad you didn't just bite the whole thing off." Dimal grimaced. "Lord Zoltar could stand a lesson in humility."

"Oh, he was plenty humiliated." Fanel grinned. "It's all the guards talked about for days. Everyone knows… and they're laughing at him behind his back. Apparently Lord Zoltar is infuriated, but he can't put a stop to the whispers and jokes."

"Is this public knowledge?" My face drained of color. What if the Federation got wind of this? Chief Anderson? _Mark…_? My humiliation would be complete.

"Only amongst the prison guards." Fanel shrugged. "Apparently orders came down that no one was to communicate with any other facility, without having such contact go through Warden Weckor. Naturally the Warden feels rather self-important and takes this job very seriously."

I was about to ask how Fanel knew this when I caught her eye. Suddenly I understood _exactly_ how she had come by such knowledge. Whatever her methods, she was certainly effective as a spy.

"And why not? He's just Lord Zoltar's lackey." Dimal sniffed. "He'd be no better than anyone else if he hadn't fawned over the right people so much."

"You're just annoyed because Warden Weckor was raised to a higher caste, and you weren't." Fanel observed.

"That has nothing to do with it." Dimal sniffed. "But I will admit, when we were in control of the Records Building in Krantau, the data regarding his change in status simply… disappeared." She grinned slyly.

"I'm glad you used your time there to good effect." I approved. "It sounds like you're good with data hacking."

"Pretty good, yeah." Dimal smirked. "Why do you think Rintad and I were chosen for that offensive?"

"We chose you two because you worked well together." Fanel sighed, as if she had heard Dimal's bragging one time to many. "You and Rintad were an unstoppable force. We could have used you at Cabara."

"It wouldn't have made any difference." Dimal disagreed. "There were leaks. We would have been captured too. So I came here a little before you did. It doesn't make much difference, except that we _were_ able to destroy the criminal files."

"Criminal files?" I was intrigued by the two women's banter.

"My husband assigned Dimal and her husband, Rintad, to extinguish records that criminalized hundreds of rebels in our province." Fanel explained. "By destroying the data, the government lost track of hundreds of our best people… people we planned to use in our attack on Cabara."

"But you were caught…" I noted, looking at Dimal.

"We knew we would be." Dimal shrugged. "The question was how much damage we could do until then. As it turned out, it was quite a bit. Rintad was executed, and I was sent here."

"I'm so sorry." I reached out hesitantly, brushing lightly at her arm. "I can only imagine how terrible that must have been for you."

"We knew it would happen." Dimal replied stoically. "It wasn't the kind of assignment from which we could return. Once we had been monitored going in, there was no escape."

"You both made a significant sacrifice for the movement." Fanel acknowledged.

"So... you both knew each other before coming here." I finally put the pieces together.

"Do you recall the rebel group I mentioned before?" Norei reminded me. "The Yellow Flag? Fanel and her husband Gregaro were its leaders."

"Wow." I breathed, impressed. "You must be Criminal Number 1 here, then."

"Perhaps." Fanel smirked. "At least… until you arrived. Now the focus is off of me."

"What happened to Gregaro?" I asked.

"The same thing that happened to my husband." Dimal replied stonily. "Men are always executed."

"But women…"

"Like I told you, the people don't like to see women put to death." Norei explained. "Women arouse sympathy."

"Women are supposed to be soft, gentle creatures." Fanel rolled her eyes.

"Looking at the three of you, that's the last thing I'd think." I observed. "You're all tough as nails."

"I could say the same about you." Norei replied, and from the look on her face, I knew she was giving me a compliment.

"I guess we're more alike then we thought." I pointed out the obvious.

"Not in everything." Dimal reminded me, but I could see that she was joking.

"Of course not." I replied with a straight face. "I am petite, and you are all husky giants."

"You have ugly dark hair, and we have beautiful light hair." Dimal replied, equally straight-faced.

"I guess we're even then." was my response.

"I guess we are." Dimal smiled, and Fanel and Norei had to each stifle a giggle.

Strange as it was, I almost felt like I was one of them.

88888

It wasn't until hexors later that I woke up in a cold sweat, the vestiges of a nightmare still clinging to my mind.

_Men are always executed._

Dimal's words echoed inside of my skull, ricocheting back and forth until it felt as if they might explode.

By pushing Mark out of the way, by taking his place… I truly _had_ saved his life. Zoltar had wanted to execute me, but he hadn't been able to… _because I was a woman_. If Mark had been here, he wouldn't have been able to escape his sentence, no matter how noble and upstanding he had appeared at the trial.

No matter what happened to me, I was truly glad that I was the one who was on Spectra.

88888

Norei spent the following four days filling up the remainder of our Gattan containers. It was almost pleasant, working at the laundry, not having to touch deadly explosives every second, and having some time to simply rest and get to know these other women at the end of each day. It seemed that I had been fully accepted in this social group. Fanel and Dimal now included me in all conversations, whether at the end of our laundry shifts or in the Dining Room during meals, when all of the 'center table' women were present. Once or twice I sat with Genalla and Thanto instead, but they now appeared to be in awe of me, and it was uncomfortable being with them. After a couple of attempts I stopped coming and they appeared relieved. However they still continued to greet me in a friendly manner when I saw them.

Yet at the same time, Norei seemed to be getting more and more angry with me. At first I thought that perhaps she was just in a bad mood when she withdrew from conversations and simply glared at me. Yet as it happened more and more often, I realized that there was something else going on with her. One night, toward the end of our laundry work assignment, I pulled her aside in the Gymnasium.

"What's going on?" I confronted her.

"Going on?" She stared loftily at me, as if she were too busy to be bothered with my concerns.

"With you." I clarified, although I had a feeling Norei knew exactly what I was talking about. "Why are you angry with me?"

"What makes you think I'm angry with you?"

"You don't talk to me anymore. All you do is glower at me."

"Maybe I can't talk to you, because you're too busy."

"Too busy? What, like I have a fully booked social calendar? Why would I be too busy?"

"You seem to be occupied talking to everyone else."

"Everyone else? Like who? The only people I talk with are _your_ friends! Fanel, Partov, Dimal…"

"Exactly. Since you like talking to them so much, I won't bother you."

"Bother me?" Before I could piece things together, Norei began to walk off. Hurriedly I strode after her, grabbing her arm and forcing her to turn around and face me.

"Norei…" I stared at her, trying to read the emotions in her eyes. Suddenly, I realized _exactly_ what was wrong. I'm sure my shock was written all over my face, but having come to the realization, I now had to determine how best to proceed.

"I like talking to them, but I really miss talking to _you_." I told her. "I don't have to hide things from you."

"You don't?" Norei's mouth curled slightly, as if it were attempting to smile, but was being restrained.

"I miss our conversations at night." I told her truthfully. "And the other night, I had a nightmare… it was very lonely, waking up in the cell by myself. I would have liked to have had you there, to talk to."

"I have missed our conversations as well." Norei admitted. "But if you miss them so much, why do you constantly chat with the others?"

"I thought you wanted me to become a part of your group." I explained. "That you wanted me to get to know your friends."

"They're not my friends." Norei answered quickly… perhaps a little too quickly, as she immediately rethought her brash statement. "At least, not in the same way that you are my friend."

"I think you're special too, Norei."

"And don't you forget it."

Norei walked off in a superior manner, gesturing to Fanel and leading the other woman over to the mats for some fighting practice.

No matter how long I was amongst them, I didn't think I would ever figure out these Spectran women.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The remaining two days of laundry duty went smoothly, but when the tennight was over, I was assigned once more to arming Spectran missiles. The good side of this was that I was able to continue adding trentorium residue to my makeshift bomb. The bad side was… everything else. It truly was a miserable, nerve-wracking job.

What I didn't realize was that it was about to get a whole lot worse.

On the fourth morning of our tennight work assignment, we walked into the manufacturing plant to discover that the nature of the missiles had changed, as had their armaments. We stood at the workstations, staring curiously at the gloves that had been placed before each of us.

"Put on the gloves." We were given our orders over the announcement system. I could see a guard speaking into some kind of microphone in the glassed in control room.

"These missiles will be armed with a different kind of compound." the voice informed us. "You will install the compound in the same manner as you have before, however this substance is far more volatile. _You must not break the vials_! Doing so puts your life, and the life of your fellow prisoners, at risk. Merely touching this substance is enough to kill you."

The women looked around at each other nervously. I stared hard at the thin gloves I had been given. Were these flimsy accessories enough to protect me from such a toxic compound?

"If you break a vial, or if the compound touches your skin for _any_ reason, stay in place! Do not move, other than to press the red emergency button at your station. Locate this button now." I looked down, anxiously eyeing the minimal controls in front of me. The red button was clear and unmistakable. Apparently it had been installed overnight, as I had never seen it before.

"Only press the red button in case of emergency." the voice warned sternly. "Supplies of countermeasures are limited."

I wasn't entirely certain what that meant, but one thing was clear: whatever was going to be done in an 'emergency' was of limited assistance, and there was only so much 'help' available.

The conveyer belt began moving. The missiles looked exactly the same as the ones we usually armed. Yet the explosive trentorium pellets had been replaced with translucent vials filled with some kind of viscous orange liquid. Gingerly I picked up a vial, transporting it carefully over to the missile, sweat beading on my forehead. I noticed that we were given a lot longer to insert the vial: perhaps two full hexons. Clearly the Spectrans didn't want any mistakes. It occurred to me that they had as much to lose as we did if someone broke a vial.

I was so unnerved by the entire situation that I had armed about ten missiles before realizing that I had neglected to sabotage any of them. Quietly I resumed my normal 'extracurricular activities'. Surprisingly, this helped take my mind off the hazards associated with my 'main' task, while still maintaining my mental focus.

Amazingly, despite the danger of the task in which I was involved, time passed. I concentrated in the same manner as usual, if perhaps devoting a significant portion of my brain to careful handling of the vial. The conveyer belt did not speed up, and our production rate was far lower than on 'normal' days.

It seemed to me that we were approaching the end of the workday. I wasn't able to tell for certain, but I was guessing, based on my internal time sense, and the knowledge that it had been quite awhile since the guards in the glassed-in control area had broken for lunch (a luxury we prisoners were never given). Just as this thought crossed my mind, an earsplitting whooping sound filled the air. Inside the control room, guards were running around in a panic.

"Emergency! Emergency!" an automated voice intoned, loudly enough to cut over the already piercing alarm. I noticed women clapping their hands over their ears, yet we were all staring at the same thing.

In front of me and to my right, a series of Enerwalls had appeared, blocking in one of the women. She looked around, clearly frightened out of her wits, uncertain as to how to proceed. Above her, a long, metallic arm, also covered by blue Enerwalls, descended to the energy box that surrounded her. There was a brief hum and a flash of light, and suddenly the arm was extending into the box. The trapped woman shied back from the metallic appendage.

"Take the antidote." the automated voice ordered. "Swallow it immediately." Gingerly, the woman plucked something from the metallic arm, which instantly pulled back and out of the energy box. Once it was freed, it was instantly surrounded by its own Enerwalls once more, retracting to disappear up into the ceiling.

The woman in the box put something in her mouth, swallowing nervously, yet her terror did not abate. Her head swiveled from side to side, uncertain of what to expect.

"Follow the designated path to the Observation Chamber." the automated voice ordered. The woman trembled as her energy prison began to move, pushing her toward the door. She departed the room, leaving behind her an atmosphere of the utmost dread.

"Back to work!" the guards in the control room ordered, via the announcement system. "The threat has been removed. You are safe."

But were we truly safe? We had just witnessed the results of pressing the red emergency button. My nerves were shot, and even with the slow pace of the conveyer belt, it was all I could do to keep up for the remainder of the workday. It was clear that I wasn't the only one. By the time we departed the manufacturing plant, all of the women had wild eyes and twitching hands. This fear of the unknown compound was far greater than anything we had ever experienced.

That evening we were not permitted to go to either dinner or the Gymnasium. Instead, all of the prisoners were sent to the showers, where the steam rose in clouds smelling of antiseptic and instead of its usual lukewarm temperature, the water was hot enough to scald everyone's skin to an angry red. We were then sent to our cells, where dinner was waiting for us.

The following morning, breakfast was delivered to our rooms via a 'shelf' that came out of a wall panel. I was starting to feel very much alone. By the time I was ordered out of my cell and into the corridor, I was relieved to see other women, even if we were separated by the Enerwalls. We marched down the hallways and to the manufacturing plant, assuming our usual work positions. Once again, we were dealing with the highly toxic compound that had been introduced the day before.

I was surprised to note that the woman who had pressed the emergency button the previous day was back. She worked on the line, as all of us did, although perhaps her movements were somewhat more tight and jerky than the rest of us, which was saying a lot. The women around her stared as much as they were able, their hands shakily accomplishing their own assigned tasks.

There were two more emergencies that day. In both cases, the women involved were given the antidote and escorted out of the room via Enerwall in the same manner as had been done the previous day. I noticed that the woman who had already endured this situation only gripped the sides of her workstation as the other women were 'assisted'. The skin stretched tightly over her knuckles and her fingers twitched nervously.

By the time the shift had ended, I was shaking myself. I didn't know how long I could stand the stress of this working environment, and if anyone in that room knew about stress on the job, I would be that person. The other women were clearly beginning to crack from the mental strain. Many of them were shaking and shuddering as they walked to the exit. I was surprised that there hadn't been more 'emergencies' than had actually occurred.

Once again we were sent to the showers, bathing in the antiseptic-smelling, scalding water. As I entered the room, I caught sight of Fanel, and quickly maneuvered my way next to her. Norei was nowhere in sight, and I briefly recalled that she had been assigned kitchen duty this tennight.

"What is this stuff we're putting in the missiles?" I asked Fanel, as we washed in the noxious mist. "Is it really that bad?"

"It's some kind of new disease." Fanel replied dispiritedly. "The guards can't stop talking about it. Apparently when these missiles are launched, it's going to wipe out the entire Federation population on multiple planets. The war will be over without any fighting."

"What?" My heart stopped beating for a moment. Was this actually possible?

"It's highly contagious." Fanel continued. "Deadly within one hexor in the amounts we're dealing with. But I guess when the missiles land they're going to spray it outward… infect crops, water sources… It might take a few days for the disease to spread, and another few for everyone to die and the air to clear."

"But the women who were infected on the work floor…" I gasped.

"There's an antidote." Fanel stared at me, her face defeated. "Very scarce, because it's made from Vitalumis." I nodded slowly. Vitalumis was plentiful in the Federation, but nearly impossible to obtain on Spectra. In fact, G-Force's first major encounter with the Spectrans had been when they had attempted to steal large quantities of Vitalumis from Earth.

"If it's scarce, why give it to _us_?" I asked.

"They're testing it." Fanel answered. "They have some set number of doses to test, and once they're done, any other women who get infected will be left to die. They warned me not to be one of those women." I looked at Fanel, horrified by the dead expression in her eyes.

"It's going to be okay, Fanel. It will be all right…" I told her, yet the words rung hollow.

"If this works… what are they going to do with it?" Fanel whispered, ignoring my pathetic platitudes. "What if they use it on the rebels? On anyone who doesn't agree with them? Antidote for the 'right' people, and the rest of us…?"

"You're right." I whispered to her, as we finished washing and moved into the dryer room. "We have to stop it."

Fanel turned to look at me, her eyes wide as the hot blasts of air buffeted her red and raw skin.

"Stop it?" she muttered unbelievingly.

"Who else is there?" I asked her. "Who else who knows about this and understands how horrible it is? Who else is _right here_ where the missiles are being armed?"

"You really are part of G-Force, aren't you?" Fanel was amazed. "You're actually going to do something about this."

"I am." I assured her.

If only I knew what that was.

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I tossed and turned all night in my cell, doing my best to come up with some way to prevent the Spectrans from launching their missiles. The best alternative I could come up with was to somehow detonate the entire supply right here, before it left the prison. Of course, that would likely kill everyone inside the prison, including myself, and there was no guarantee that Spectra wouldn't just make more of these weapons somewhere else.

No… there had to be some way to neutralize the missiles… so that no matter how many Spectra made, the Federation would be able to stop them.

_The antidote_. Apparently it worked, as that first woman had come back to the manufacturing plant. Yet two more women had been 'infected' today… How many more 'test' doses were there? Likely not many…

A plan began to form in my mind.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The following morning, perhaps one and a half hexors into our workday, I initiated my plan. The next empty missile arrived on the conveyor belt. Carefully I took out one of the orange vials, but rather than placing it inside the appropriate chamber in the missile, instead I placed it on top of the locking mechanism. When the appropriate moment came, I carefully lowered the cover to the missile case, crushing the vial and preventing the missile from locking, taking especial care to ensure that none of the noxious substance touched my person. Almost instantly, a vile, rotting odor assaulted my nostrils.

Without hesitation, I slammed my hand down on the red button at my station.

Immediately, the Enerwalls appeared around me. The whooping alarm sounded and everyone stared. Three rows away, I caught sight of Fanel, her face guarded as she took in my predicament. Above me the metallic arm descended, flashing as it entered the blue energy box that encased me.

"Take the antidote. Swallow it immediately." the automated voice ordered. The metallic arm dropped something into my hand: some kind of pill. Slowly I put my hand to my mouth, then swallowed nervously.

The Enerwalls began moving and I shuffled along with them, my fear written all over my face. I experienced momentary regret and panic. What had I done? Was I insane? Was I going to die for my foolishness?

But it was too late to turn back now.

The other women around me looked down or turned away as I passed by, as if they couldn't bear to see me move off into the unknown. They knew all too well they could just as easily be the ones who were in this position.

The Enerwalls guided me out of the manufacturing plant and into the corridor. I turned down a new passageway that was unfamiliar to me, although it looked the same as the others. Eventually I was brought to a non-descript door, which opened to allow me entrance. Once I was inside with the door closed, the Enerwalls disappeared. I was in a small chamber that appeared to be some kind of locker room, even smaller than my usual cell.

"Undress completely." the automated voice ordered me.

Hesitantly, I began undressing. My movements were slow and jerky, revealing my nervousness. I pulled my arm out of my sleeve and then ducked my head underneath the neckline.

Inside the relative privacy of my shirt, I glanced at the pill still clutched in my hand. It was large, coated in some kind of thick gelatin-like material that was clearly supposed to dissolve in the stomach. Inside was a pale, golden liquid.

Where was I going to put it? If they wanted me to completely undress, there would be no place to hide the antidote.

My eyes focused on the inside of my shirt. It had been constructed with a lining, but the garment was worn, and the material was bare. The inner lining was so thin in places that it was practically falling off.

Quickly, I yanked off a big piece of the material, doubling over and coughing to hide both my action and the noise. I could only hope that such a thing was consistent with the 'illness' I was supposed to have contracted, or at least, did not contradict it.

By the time I had removed all of my clothing, the pill had been wrapped inside the piece of cloth from the lining of my shirt. A large panel on the other side of the room slid aside, revealing another, even smaller chamber beyond. The automated voice ordered me to step inside. I stumbled slightly as I followed the directions, doing my best to keep attention away from my closed fist.

This new chamber was barely big enough for me to stand upright: perhaps a meter across and two and a half meters high. I noticed tiny spray nozzles attached to the walls at regular intervals, as well as small light emitters spaced between them.

"Raise your hands into the air, arms straight above your head." the voice instructed. I lifted my arms slightly, then bent over with another 'coughing' fit. My hand covered my mouth, and the cloth-wrapped pill was quickly popped into my mouth, where I concealed it inside of my left cheek.

After raising my arms, I was instructed to spread my legs apart and close my eyes. I felt a heavy mist being sprayed all over my body, wet enough to create moisture drops on my eyelids, which trickled down past my nose. Everywhere I was wet; even my hair began dripping.

Of course, my sheer nervousness was enough to cause me to salivate, placing the integrity of my secret cargo in jeopardy. I tilted my head slightly to the right, allowing the spit to pool at the right side of my mouth, doing my best to keep the concealed pill in my left cheek dry.

After a few hexons, the mist stopped, and then I felt an intense heat. Apparently the light emitters were doing their thing.

I was alternately misted and baked for some time. I wasn't certain of the exact duration, but my biceps turned to rubber, and I longed to drop my arms to my sides. I could barely feel anything in my hands and fingers by the time I was finally permitted to return to a more normal standing position.

After one final baking, I was allowed to open my eyes, and the panel slid open once more, returning me to the locker room. A sleeping platform was now protruding from the wall. Fresh sheets and clothing had been placed upon it, along with a plate of the pureed starch I was familiar with from the Dining Hall. Gratefully I got dressed, carefully pulling the damp cloth from my mouth as I pulled my new shirt over my head.

The outside of the cloth was wet, but the pill inside was still dry. I sighed with relief that my efforts had not been in vain, then concealed the pill once more inside my sleeve, after which I sat down to place the sheets on the sleeping platform and eat.

The first part of my plan was complete.

88888

I spent the night in the tiny chamber, presumably under some kind of observation. The next morning as I was eating the mush that passed for breakfast in this place, the automated voice told me I was 'free of infection'. Shortly thereafter, the Enerwalls appeared at the door and I was led back to the manufacturing plant for my next day of work.

I didn't have to fake my nervousness as I entered the massive room. I had gotten this far, but the most important part of my plan still lay ahead of me. I caught Fanel's eye as I entered, seeing a questioning look in her gaze. I nodded slightly, hoping she understood my implied message that everything was all right.

I worked diligently for the first half of the day, through the lunch period allotted to the guards in the control room. Approximately one hexor later, when the men were clearly getting bored with their task, I decided to act. When the next missile came to me, I only pretended to pick up an orange vial. I used the time given for installation to rewire the missile's rudimentary transmission system, setting it to emit a varying high–range frequency in G-Force secret code. My options for a message were limited to one character, so I chose the obvious 'G'. It wasn't necessary to send a 'message', only that the appropriate people pick up the location of the missile. Carefully I slipped the now-dry cloth from my sleeve, placing it gently inside the armament housing, before deactivating the missile. This weapon would not detonate. I could only hope that it would be found in time.

It was the best I could do.

I barely had enough time to complete my task before I had to close the lid. As I watched it move on to the rows of completed armaments, I sent a silent prayer along with it. This was a long shot, but it might be the only one the people of the Federation would have.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

We spent two more days arming the missiles with the virus. During that time, another five women pressed the emergency button. All five were sent from the room. Eventually four of them returned to the rest of the prison population, but one did not. Apparently the Spectrans had run out of 'antidote trials'. I felt a wave of remorse wash over me, knowing that I had effectively taken away the life of this woman by usurping her dose of antidote. Yet I told myself that her sacrifice might mean the salvation of the Federation.

It didn't make the guilt any easier to bear.

The following morning marked the end of our tennight work assignments. The munitions workers were allowed to go to breakfast, where we were reunited with the dozen or so women who had spent that time working in the laundry and kitchens. Norei had been among their number, and the fear on her face was evident as she saw us approaching the table. We related what had happened to us, and why we had been isolated from the remainder of the prison population. Fanel chose not to mention what I had said to her in the disinfectant showers, and I did not add anything to the group explanations.

Norei remained on kitchen duty for the following tennight work assignment and surprisingly, I was given this duty as well. I noticed that she seemed to be watching me from time to time, as if she wasn't entirely certain that I was still there. It was slightly unnerving to see her pinched, worried face, but after a couple of days she began to resume her normal behavior.

Being in the kitchen, I was able to observe the usage of kitchen utensils. Officially, all items were recorded and logged in or out on an electronic monitoring system. In reality, the Spectran personnel on duty in the kitchen were often too lazy to follow these procedures, and often just handed out necessary tools, including knives, without paying too much attention to what was going on. This created the perfect opportunity for someone to 'borrow' a utensil without being noticed.

Unfortunately, the Spectran guards monitored all women entering or exiting the kitchen area, and we were forced to pass through a special screening on our way in and out of the area. The energy protocol always set my teeth on edge, triggering something within my cerebonics that irritated the back of my skull, although the guards never seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary about me.

The end result was that even if Norei or I were able to hold onto a tool and secrete it on our person, we would never be able to take it from the kitchen area without being discovered.

Still, I carefully observed the guards and their procedures, hoping to find some weakness, some aberration. I noticed Norei similarly watching the guards, her eyes narrowing in contemplation. Unfortunately, neither she nor I discovered anything that could help us, and we were unable to procure any weapons from the kitchen under this monitoring system.

The tennight work assignment concluded and the next one began. Once again I was assigned to the manufacturing plant. We were back to arming standard Spectran missiles, which meant that I was able to add to my makeshift bomb. However it also confirmed that the arsenal of plague-carrying missiles had been completed, which meant that Zoltar could be launching this deadly attack on the Federation at any time. Now, more than ever, I missed having access to news channels. Even the biased Spectran news reports might at least let me know if this offensive had taken place.

Yet there was no word. Even Fanel had heard nothing through her 'connections'. The tennight came and went, and I was reassigned to the manufacturing plant. My days took on a sameness that grated on me more than anything else. I was constantly thinking of home, wondering what everyone was doing, if they were all right, if they missed me like I missed them. I had been gone for months… had they adjusted to life without me? Did they even think of me anymore?

Had Mark found someone else?

These thoughts haunted me at night, driving me in my desire to escape. Yet progress was slow. There were few prospects to develop weapons, and I was no longer able to plan with Norei for hours, talking out potential scenarios. I almost wished for another power reduction, to be allowed that opportunity once more.

Yet when the monotony of my days finally broke, it was for the worst possible reason.

One evening, after dinner, I was led away from the Gymnasium. As soon as I left the line of other women, I felt a cold chill of fear spill down my spine. That fear was validated when I was once again brought to the room where I had lived my worst nightmare. The metallic chair beckoned; the Enerwalls would not allow me to resist its taunting call.

Nothing good could come from a confrontation with Zoltar, and yet it seemed as if I was destined for such a fate. According to Fanel, the Spectran Leader had been healed from the injuries he had sustained when he had last 'interrogated' me, yet I was certain that he had not forgotten the encounter.

For that matter, neither had I. No matter how much I wanted to deny to myself what had happened, the horrifying incident had been scorched into my brain, rising up to torment me in the dead of night; the memory of the event had turned out to be far worse than living through the encounter itself.

Then there were the feelings of guilt, of shame, of degradation, of… being soiled, simply because he had touched me in such a manner. For the most part I was able to push those emotions aside, but when I least expected it, they would rise up to torment me.

They were tormenting me now.

A few moments after I had been restrained, Zoltar stormed into the room. His face was red with rage, and I sensed that he had been angry for some time before arriving in this chamber.

"Who is it?" he snarled, smacking me in the face. I gathered that he had lost whatever desire he had to see me 'uninjured', as well as the self-restraint that went along with it. I didn't answer him for many reasons, not the least of which was that I had no idea what he was asking.

"Who is the scientific genius within Galaxy Security?" Zoltar cried again. "It's not your precious Chief Anderson; that much I know. Even _he_ could not have worked that quickly!"

I glared at the Spectran Leader, letting my answer communicate itself through my expression alone. Frustrated by my lack of response, he backhanded me again.

"It must be someone!" Zoltar raged. "I have to have him! He must be eliminated!" He began pacing the room, ranting to himself. "The Luminous One is furious! After all of that time, the secret formula he had been working on for years… gone! In less than two days! And he is blaming _me_! As if _I_ knew that the Federation had access to such genius…"

"How did they do it?" Zoltar's face was suddenly next to mine. I recoiled from the hot breath that washed over my face. "How did they develop an antidote so quickly?"

At the sound of the word 'antidote', my heart soared. It had worked! My hastily-executed plan had, against all odds, succeeded! The Federation had found the antidote inside the missile I had 'armed' and been able to thwart the spread of that horrible disease!

I couldn't help the triumphant smile that appeared on my face, nor the victorious light in my eyes. Zoltar recoiled, as if the mere sight of me disgusted him.

"You think your precious Federation is so superior." he snarled. "Perhaps, in some matters. Yet if they were so infallible, how did I manage to capture _you_?" Something in his voice set off alarm bells inside my head. My short-lived moment of triumph quickly evaporated.

"I have one of their 'finest'." he sneered sarcastically. "You are at my mercy! You will give me whatever I want! Whatever I want!" His mottled face took on an insane light, and I instantly understood that there would be no stopping him now. He would do whatever it was he wanted to do, and I would be unable to prevent any of it. All I could do was endure. I closed my eyes, steeling myself for the beating to come.

Yet I never felt the anticipated blows on to my face. Instead, my chair was being moved, my body position manipulated.

It was then that I felt something tearing away the clothing between my thighs. A sharp lance of terror spiked through my brain, as I realized what Zoltar intended.

_No! No…!_

My mind cried out, but my body remained silent. Nothing I said would change his course of action now. Briefly, I struggled, vainly seeking a way to free myself from my metallic bonds, yet I ceased when I realized that my resistance only fueled Zoltar's madness. I refused to open my eyes, refused to see, refused to acknowledge what he was doing.

The memory was far worse than the act itself…

At this moment, I had no control over what Zoltar did with my body, but I had every control over my own mind. I could refuse him the memory of what he was about to do. Blindly, I reached out for the one thing I wanted most at that moment: Mark. I pictured him in my mind, every last detail, from the strands of hair falling onto his forehead, to the way his t-shirt creased when he swung his arms as he played ping pong, to the soft creak of his boots as he strode across the Bridge of the Phoenix. My thoughts took me far away from the metallic chair, far away from the prison, far away from Spectra… I was in the Ready Room, playing on my guitar, catching Mark's eye from time to time as he hit the small white ball with his paddle, sending it back and forth with Jason.

I was where I belonged…

I never felt Zoltar's vengeful assault, nor did I feel the vicious beating that occurred afterward.

88888

When I became aware of reality once more, I discovered that I was in my cell, my head aching so badly that I almost wanted to slip back to that wonderful fantasy world my mind had created. Yet I knew that I had no recourse but to return to the here and now. Staying forever in my fantasy Ready Room was only denying myself a return to the real Center Neptune.

Taking stock of myself, I noted that my face was tender and swollen, but not as much as it had been after the time Zoltar had broken my jaw. I sat up, discovering that merely opening my eyes caused me extreme agony. After a few hexons I was able to accomplish this goal without too much pain. Sitting up took somewhat longer.

By the time I was able to examine the rest of my body, I understood the intense ache in my lower torso. My thighs were covered with dried blood: far more than my lost innocence would account for. Clearly whatever Zoltar had done, it had been fairly violent. My best guess was that even unconscious, my body had been unwilling to surrender to his assault, and had had to be forced to give in to his demands. At least I had managed to save that one part of myself: with luck, Zoltar had no idea what he had truly taken from me.

_Mark would never want me now…_

I brushed the painful thought aside. There was no point concentrating on that at this moment. When I escaped, when I had returned back to the Federation, when I was with my Team once more… _then_ I could worry about the implications of what had just happened. _But not now_. Right now, such thoughts could only prove to be a distraction.

Yet my mind refused to listen to logic, dwelling instead on what I had lost. Not just my innocence, but the respect of my Commander. I would never be able to offer my body to the man I loved without thinking of _this_… Deep inside, I knew that no matter how noble Mark appeared, he would never be able to get past something of this magnitude. The loss of my 'innocence' might not be significant enough to deter his affections, but knowing that it had been taken by his worst enemy? Every time Mark touched me, it would be all either one of us could think about. There was no way I could hide this from him; he deserved to hear the truth, no matter how it damned me in his eyes.

An unexpected rage filled me, and for a brief moment all I wanted was to rip Zoltar's heart out of his chest. A dark part of me wished that I could have completely dismembered him when he had attacked me before. Another part simply wanted revenge, to take as much from him as had been taken from me. This sudden fury frightened me, and quickly I forced these feelings back to the darkest corners of my mind. I had never been the kind of person who felt anger to this degree. Sure, Keyop irritated me when he didn't behave, but I wasn't really a person to go flying off the handle with rage, or have trouble with anger management. Even after being tortured by Spectran agents for three days, after being eaten by an alien flower, I hadn't been angry, only determined. Now it felt as if I didn't know myself; as if the person who was emerging was someone I didn't want to be: someone who terrified me.

These thoughts accompanied me as I drifted into a troubled sleep.

When I awoke, I found that a plate of food was sitting on a shelf, along with a fresh change of clothes. Gratefully, I pulled off the torn, bloody garments I was wearing and used some of the precious water to wash off the visual reminders of Zoltar's attack. Unfortunately it was impossible to wash away the knowledge that this had happened, but fortunately my terrifying moment of fury seemed to have passed, replaced with a grim acceptance. I was grateful that I did not recall the specifics of the event, and was unable to dwell on the sordid details.

I pulled on clean clothes, then began to eat, drinking what little water there was left in the sink. The breakfast mush was cold. How long had I slept? How late in the day was it? My bruised cheeks and jaw ached as I ate, and I pressed the sides of my face against the cool metallic wall of the cell to soothe my hot, swollen skin.

Once I had eaten, I attempted to walk around my cell. The sensitive skin between my thighs chafed and I was forced to stop. I spent the next couple of hexors lying on my sleeping platform, hoping my cerebonics would heal that part of my body as I desperately clutched at plans of escape.

Dinner arrived and I ate slowly, noting that my face ached less than it had for my breakfast. My improved healing was working overtime, and I could only hope that the following day I'd feel somewhat normal.

The next morning brought a return to the usual routine. At breakfast, Norei's face was a picture of relief when she saw me, yet all too quickly she appeared concerned about my bruises. Her eyes held unspoken questions, and I had to turn away, for fear of revealing too much. For now, my shame was my own, and I chose to keep it that way for as long as possible.

Of course, I had forgotten about the efficiency of Fanel's information gathering. That evening in the Gymnasium, Norei pulled me aside.

"What is wrong with you?" she asked bluntly.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I can see that. What I want to know is why you are acting like some scared mouse."

"What?"

"If I was in your situation, I would be furious!"

"I…" I hadn't thought about it that way. My anger had scared me: it was something I wasn't used to. Although… perhaps I had the right. Perhaps _should_ be angry. And yet…

"What would that accomplish?"

"It would motivate you. Drive you!"

"I'm already plenty motivated, trust me."

"Are you even aware what the others are saying? They think that Lord Zoltar has defeated you!"

"Defeated me? I don't understand…"

"Everyone knows what he did to you. That you were raped." I couldn't keep my face from blanching in shame.

"I didn't know… I thought…"

"The guards have talked of nothing else. They think you have been broken."

"If that's what they think, they're in for a rude awakening."

"That's what I was looking for." For the first time, Norei smiled. "You are still with me, then." Her words were a statement, rather than a question.

"I have every reason to want to get out of this place." I assured her. "I'm certainly not going to let… what happened… stop me."

"Good." Norei smiled. "Because I had some new ideas…"


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

In the end, Norei's 'new ideas' were nothing more than a rehash of schemes we had already discussed. Yet I understood that her purpose had not been to communicate anything new, but rather to force me to focus once more on escape: to ensure that Zoltar's assault had not weakened my spirit.

She had been right about one thing. I was feeling ashamed of what had happened to me. Yet I wasn't the one who should have been feeling shame. Zoltar was the one who had acted dishonorably, and _he_ was the one who was guilty of horrible behavior. The anger I had been feeling was appropriate and necessary under the circumstances. Yet I had been right when I had told Norei that anger would not serve me well. Anger made you careless, distorted your focus.

But I was through feeling humiliated. Whatever had been done to me had not been of my own making, nor had it been something I had wanted or invited. I had no reason to pull back from anyone or anything.

And yet, despite my noble desires, a part of me longed for revenge.

Two nights later, I was sent once again to the interrogation chamber. I steeled myself, replacing my fury with a cold determination, refusing to show weakness. Zoltar might be able to force my body, but he could not force my mind.

All I had to do was to demonstrate that to him.

Notwithstanding these strong intentions, my resolve was tested when the Spectran Leader swaggered into the room. I could see that he was enjoying his reputation as the man who had 'broken' the Swan.

I had to ensure that this reputation was destroyed.

"So nice to see you again, Princess." Zoltar leered. "I thought I would sample your dubious charms again, seeing as you enjoyed yourself so much the other night."

"Oh, is that how it works on Spectra?" I laughed harshly. "If a woman is beaten unconscious, she's 'enjoying herself'?"

"Your weak attempt to cover up your enjoyment is pathetic. You and I both know the truth."

"We certainly do." I taunted him. "You strapped me down and physically forced yourself upon me. I was unable to move and beaten into unconsciousness. We both know the truth: I gave you no consent and derived no enjoyment from your foul presence. I pity the women who are forced to your bed, Zoltar. How horrible it must be for them to not only be subjected to your 'attentions', but to be required to feign pleasure at your putrid touch!"

"I…" Zoltar was completely taken aback; clearly he had not been expecting this kind of verbal attack. "The women in my bed do not have to feign pleasure!"

"Really?" I rolled my eyes in disbelief. "Clearly then, you were not performing up to your 'usual standards' the other night. Or perhaps you were damaged by our previous encounter more than you'd like to admit." I raked my eyes over his groin dismissively. The angry flush that immediately crossed Zoltar's face told me that I had hit my mark. Encouraged, I pushed further.

"I suspect you've been telling yourself that I succumbed to your charms and fell willingly into your bed." I taunted him. "Did you even recall how you had to physically restrain me? Force me into position? Did you recall what a difficult time you had getting it up? Did you recall how you beat me into unconsciousness, because I resisted your lecherous advances?"

An audible snicker was heard from behind the wall. As I had suspected, we were being monitored. No wonder news of the previous assault had spread so quickly.

"I will make you regret your foul lies!" Zoltar blustered.

"You know I'm not lying." I laughed cruelly. "So I have nothing to regret."

"You're a lying whore! You want it, and you don't care who gives it to you!" Zoltar accused, tearing at the crotch of my pants. Mentally I shuddered at the thought of his touching me there, but I forced my mind away from these disturbing mental images. Instead I focused solely on Zoltar's face, and his tenuous grip on his self-control.

"Is this what the high and mighty Leader of Spectra has become?" I taunted. "No better than the scum of streets, tying up a woman and brutalizing her for his own pleasure? Is this truly the only way you're able to achieve any kind of intimacy, Zoltar?"

Zoltar's face twisted in anger, then froze in horror. His eyes glanced downward, and suddenly I understood.

"It's obvious that you're not capable of giving either pleasure or torture to a woman." I mocked, taking advantage of the situation. "You've gone all 'soft' on me."

"You… primitive!"

"Is that all you can come up with?" I laughed disparagingly. "Clearly you're focusing all your limited mental acuity on your physical performance… too bad you're still not 'up' to the task."

Zoltar's face mottled with a color so deep it practically matched his uniform. His lips opened and closed soundlessly, as if he were incapable of uttering a response. Suddenly, a primal scream of frustration burst forth from his throat and the Spectran Leader turned, stalking out of the room in a cloud of rage.

I lay there for a few moments, completely stunned. What was happening?

And yet, it appeared that nothing was happening. After perhaps a quarter hexor, the metallic chair released me and I was returned to my cell, where a fresh set of clothing awaited me.

I had held off another attack… for now.

88888

Unfortunately, in preventing Zoltar from assaulting me, I had damaged his pride. That was something the Spectran Leader didn't take lightly. The following morning I was isolated in my cell and prevented from returning to duty in the manufacturing plant. Sometime during the day, I was brought once more to the interrogation chamber where Zoltar tried… and failed… to assault me once more. I could see that his frustration was only adding to his problem, yet at the same time, he merely became more determined to achieve his objective.

This scenario was repeated over and over again during the remainder of the tennight. I was isolated from the other prisoners while Zoltar daily continued his attempted assaults, failing more and more miserably each time… until he had the bright idea to gag me. My eyes challenged him, and my laughed mocked his efforts, but without being able to utter comprehensible words, my efforts to distract him grew less and less effective. Eventually, after five days, he finally succeeded in his attempts to force himself upon me once more. As I finally realized that this time he wasn't going to fail I took myself back to the Ready Room, denying him the memory of what he was doing to me. Still, even through my haze, I had a sense that he hadn't enjoyed the act; that he was more relieved that it was over, rather than anything else.

Despite this, Zoltar continued his attempted assaults over the following three days, succeeding only once more, despite exhibiting a determination I had never before witnessed from the Spectran Leader. However it appeared that his high failure rate was demoralizing for Zoltar, and at the end of the tennight I was sent back to the 'normal routine' of work duty with the other prisoners. I returned to the manufacturing plant, but after the mentally exhausting tennight I had endured, it was almost a relief to only have to worry about arming and sabotaging missiles.

The other women seemed surprised at my return, but none more so than Norei.

"You're acting like yourself again." she noted.

"Thanks to you." I gave credit where credit was due. "You reminded me of the strength within myself."

"So I've heard." Norei's eyes glittered with a sly light. "It's said that Lord Zoltar 'can't perform' any longer, no matter how often he attempts to do so."

"That's fairly accurate." My mouth twitched in a smile.

"I'm glad to hear it." she nodded. "At least this nonsense has been concluded."

"For now." I acknowledged. "But if I know anything about Zoltar, it's that he never completely gives up. He always comes back; always returns with a new plan to achieve his goals."

"And so do we." Norei reminded me.

If only it was as simple as that. But every night my dreams would be haunted by my 'interactions' with Zoltar, imagining what he had done to me, picturing the nameless, faceless soldiers behind the wall observing everything that occurred… Yet one of the men present was no stranger at all, but the one man I most dreaded learning about these assaults….

_Mark_.

The look on my Commander's face as he realized what had happened to me tore at my heart. I was tormented by his reaction as the scene played itself out over and over again in my nightmares. I wanted desperately to escape, to be out of this horrible place, to be back at home where I felt warm and safe… And yet a small part of me wanted to stay here, to hide away, so I would never have to face Mark and experience his reaction to my desecration.

Yet that was a coward's way out. If Mark had taught me anything, it was to face my fears and accept all consequences head on. As a member of G-Force, I could do nothing less.

But why did it have to hurt so much?


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

I spent three more tennights at the manufacturing plant. By now, my makeshift bomb was nearly completed. The following work assignment found me back in the kitchen with Norei. Although we usually couldn't talk, it was nice to see her every day, and to know that someone had my back.

On the eighth day of that work assignment, the lights suddenly dimmed. The announcement system informed us that we were entering another period of power reduction. I glanced up, looking at Norei, just as she did the same. She smiled slightly, then nodded in my direction. It seemed that we would be able to resume our late night conversations of escape.

Two of the three guards on duty departed, presumably assigned elsewhere during the power reduction. When the work day finished, the lone remaining guard used two Enerwalls to force us to us pass through the screening system as we exited the room. So absorbed was I in thoughts of finally getting a chance to speak with Norei that night that I nearly didn't notice what was missing.

My cerebonics weren't bothering me at all.

Normally when I passed through these energy protocols, I felt like scratching the back of my head with a vengeance. My implant would go wild, sending waves of irritation through my brain and out onto my skin. Yet tonight, there was nothing.

Could it be due to the power reduction?

We were sent to the Dining Hall and ordered to line up in two separate groups. Once again Norei jostled into place and we were assigned together. As we returned to my cell, I could barely hide my excitement. The moment we were alone together, I had to tell her.

"The screening process isn't operating." I blurted out.

"What?" Norei's eyes widened in surprise.

"The screening process as we leave the kitchen. It isn't working as it usually does. I think it's just colored lights for show, due to the power reduction."

"How do you know?"

"I just do. I'm sensitive to these things." I didn't feel the need to explain about my cerebonics. I trusted Norei, but somehow, this was still something private that I wasn't ready to divulge.

"So…" Norei assessed me slowly, then clearly decided not to pursue the matter, "if the sensors aren't working, then it might be possible to remove something from the kitchen?"

"My thoughts exactly." I grinned.

"We only have two more days in the tennight work assignment." Norei mused. "And the power reduction could end at any time. We'll have to try it tomorrow."

"Definitely." I agreed. "Hopefully we'll have access to the appropriate tools on duty."

"Between the two of us, we should." Norei replied, sitting down on her sleeping platform and starting her dinner. I followed her lead, and within moments we were eating in a comfortable silence. Even without words, it felt good just to have another person nearby. Until I had come here, I hadn't realized how used I was to being with others. It had simply become an accepted part of my life to know that there were four other people who were always around when I needed them.

Of course, Norei was only one person, and she was a female at that. I had a few casual girlfriends I had gotten to know through my work at Jill's, but I had never had a close female friend before. It was different, to say the least.

"What will you do, once we leave?" I asked her. "Where will you go? Back to your family?"

"I can never return to my family." Norei scowled. "Even if I were to show up on their doorstep, they would only contact the authorities. I am a disgrace to them."

"But surely, if you had a chance to explain…"

"They would never understand. I am dead to them." Norei grimaced, and I understood that this subject was closed. "I would probably go with Fanel, to the rebel camp."

"You would join the rebels?"

"The Yellow Flag is a good organization. Their objectives are worthy."

"Fair enough."

"You would be welcome there."

"Me?" I nearly choked on my mouthful of pureed starch. "An offworlder? An enemy of Spectra? I hardly think so."

"You are judging these people before you have even met them." Norei pointed out. "I thought you were better than that."

"It is always prudent to develop appropriate expectations regarding any situation you enter into." I replied calmly, refusing to get drawn into her trap. "I hardly think my assumption regarding the majority of Spectrans is ill-conceived, especially given how you, yourself treated me when we first met."

"Point taken." Norei acknowledged.

"Besides," I went on, "much as I would be interested in witnessing this Spectran Rebel operation for myself, I have a sworn duty. I must return to the Federation, to my Team."

"But what if…?" Norei's words drifted off as she stared at me, and an expression of disappointment crossed her face. "I understand."

"You… you _really_ want me to come with you?" I asked, surprised.

"I thought… we seem to make a good team. Perhaps we could continue to work together, even after…"

"That's an interesting idea." I admitted. "And I agree, we work well together. In another situation, it might even work out. But I can't turn my back on my Team. They're counting on me. They're expecting me to return."

"Yet they've been going on without you, all this time." Norei pointed out.

I found it difficult to ignore the threat of tears that arose at her simple statement. I understood that Norei hadn't intended to be hurtful, and yet all the same I felt the sting of her words. I bit my lip, seeking to compose myself before responding.

"Even so, I owe it to them to return." I replied, somewhat too stiffly.

"I didn't mean to hurt you." Norei said simply. "I only wondered… what you might do, if your presence was no longer required. Not to say that it isn't…"

"It's all right." I sighed, allowing my hair to fall over my face, so that Norei wouldn't see the moisture at the corners of my eyes. "I've thought the same thing myself. Based on Zoltar's rages, I'd gather they're doing quite well without me."

"It's only that… I'll miss you."

"What?" I looked up in surprise. I hadn't been expecting this.

"After… I'll be here, on Spectra, and you'll be…"

"Fighting Spectra." I acknowledged. "Strange, isn't it?"

"You may be fighting Spectra, but you will not be fighting me." Norei noted.

"Never." I agreed. "I will never fight you."

"For now, I suppose that will have to do."

"You know, if you wanted… you could come back to the Federation, with me."

"What?" Now it was Norei's turn to be shocked.

"I'm certain Galaxy Security would love to debrief you on the situation here, to understand the different groups of Spectrans. You could act as a representative for the rebel group…"

"I… I don't know." Norei's face was blank. "I'm not certain I could give up…"

"Everything you've ever known?" I finished for her. "Fair enough. It's not an easy thing, being away from your homeworld."

"No." Norei agreed. "But all the same, your offer means a lot to me. Knowing that you would be willing to have me with you, even once you return."

"Of course I would!" I smiled. "You're the best friend I've ever had."

"Truly?" Norei seemed astonished.

"I've never really had a female friend." I admitted. "Growing up, there weren't many other kids around, and they all seemed to be boys. I was homeschooled, so I didn't even meet other girls through training or education."

"I grew up among women." Norel explained. "On Spectra, it is not considered seemly for young boys and girls to mix together very often. Even siblings of opposite genders are separated much of the time. I have known many women, but very few men."

"How do women find a partner if they're not allowed to mix with men?" I asked.

"Once a woman reaches the age of majority, she is allowed to interact with men, and attend social events." Norei answered. "Some women enjoy this enough that they choose to never mate. Others choose husbands very quickly. Still others find that they have been isolated from men for so long that they are not comfortable in their presence."

"I'm guessing that's what you experienced."

"Most Galaxy Girls do, yes." Norei admitted, her cheeks flushing slightly. "We bond strongly as a group of women, and generally do not allow men into our circle."

"I can see how that would be a strong connection." I observed.

"Men have no idea of the power of women." Norei went on, looking off into the distance. "The government thinks us weak, but I myself have seen the strongest women I know, banding together to fight to achieve an objective…" Her voice trailed off, and her eyes focused back on me.

"But I forgot with whom I was speaking." Norei smiled wryly. "I think you, Swan, of all people, understand the power of women."

"I certainly do." I agreed. "But I think it's more powerful if they can use each other's names."

"Names?"

"My name is Princess." I offered.

"Not Swan?"

"Swan is my… designation. My rank. It's how Zoltar knows me."

"I see…"

"Is Norei your given name or your family name?"

"It is my name. The only one I have. My family has disowned me." Norei shrugged before changing back to the original subject. "So is it insulting if I call you 'Swan'?"

"Not at all." I replied. "Just… impersonal. It would be like if I called you… Galaxy Girl Number Eight."

"Actually, I was Galaxy Girl Number Thirty-Four." Norei replied blandly.

"Really?"

"I was disgraced. That number will never be used again. It is mine. It is a mark of shame."

"Oh." I wasn't entirely certain how to respond to that, so I grabbed at the first thing that came into my head. "My number is 3."

"You were third on your team?"

"Yes. Also, I am third-ranked on my team. I've been Number 3 for so long it almost seems part of my identity… even more than 'Swan', which I don't normally use very often."

"Until you arrived here."

"Pretty much."

"Then I shall call you Princess, when we are alone." Norei declared. "Prin…sess…" She stretched out the unfamiliar foreign word.

"Sounds good to me." I smiled.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

The next morning we returned to the kitchen for our work duty. I was kept busy on one side of the facility, while Norei was assigned to the other. Unfortunately, none of my own allotted tasks for the day required that I handle any sharp tools. I could only hope that Norei had found her work assignments more compatible with our goal of taking a knife.

The day seemed to drag on, lasting for longer than usual, but finally the guard present told us it was time to start cleaning up.

"You will be using the showers this night." he informed us brusquely. "Last one for two tennights."

"But we're not scheduled for washing for another four days." one woman noted.

"Schedule change due to power reduction." the guard snapped from behind his protective Enerwalls. The woman did not challenge him further. We all knew that anything around here could change without notice.

Everyone rushed to clean up. No one wanted to miss the last shower for two tennights. But even as I was putting the last of my station to rights, a loud clatter behind me caused me to turn my head. My mouth fell open in surprise. Norei was sprawled on the floor in an undignified manner, surrounded by a variety of pots, pans, bowls, and other implements of food preparation.

"I tripped." she mumbled, her cheeks flushing as she bowed her head in shame.

"Clean it up!" the guard barked, clearly frustrated. "Everyone else, get to the door!"

We scrambled to the exit, as no one wanted to be singled out to assist Norei. I thought of moving to help her, but something about the situation didn't seem right. This was confirmed when I caught Norei's eye, only to see her shake her head sharply at me.

The walk through the corridors and the time spent in the showers was uneasy for me, as my mind was preoccupied with what Norei was doing. By the time we were walking into the drying room, my concern had grown tenfold. Was Norei being punished? What had she been trying to accomplish?

As I stood in the locker room with the other women, pulling on my fresh clothes, another group of prisoners entered. Straggling behind them was Norei. Our eyes met, and the expression on her face was one of intense relief. I moved close to her pathway, intending to murmur a few words of support.

"See you back in the cell, Swan." Norei whispered, her hand brushing at mine she passed by. Something cool and smooth touched my palm. Without saying a word, I slipped the object up my sleeve. Norei moved on, stopping at the laundry bin to remove her garments.

Suddenly everything made sense. I could hardly wait to get back to the cell to confirm my suspicions. When I got there, I discovered that I had been right.

Norei had slipped me a knife. No, not one knife, but _two_. I was amazed by what she had accomplished. If not for the unexpected schedule change in showering time, which required removing all of one's garments, giving her no place to hide her ill-gotten gains, Norei could have accomplished this all on her own. Her delaying tactic of 'extra cleanup' in the kitchen, in order to pass the illicit weapons on to me, had been brilliant.

A short while later, Norei entered the cell with her plate of starch, just as I was finishing my own dinner. I instantly broke out into a wide grin.

"Norei, you're a genius!" I told her, displaying the two knives I had concealed. I smiled as I passed them over to her.

"I could not have done it without you." she said, putting down her plate and slipping the knives into her own sleeves.

"If it hadn't been for this schedule change with the shower…" I protested.

"You are the one who informed me that the scanners weren't working to begin with." Norei pointed out. "Without that knowledge, I never would have attempted this. I have _you_ to thank."

"Let's just say that we make a good team, shall we?" I grinned broadly, and Norei returned the expression.

"We can do this!" she exclaimed, happier than I had ever seen her. Before I knew what was happening, she had embraced me in a tight hug. I laughed with the sheer pleasure of the moment, reveling in the joy of a simple humanoid touch. Together we danced around the cell, giggling and prancing, pleased with what we had accomplished together.

At last our rowdy behavior came to an end and we slowed down. I collapsed onto my sleeping platform, enjoying the momentary breathlessness that had overtaken me. Norei sank to the floor right next to me, her eyes fixed on my face.

"You have a wonderful laugh." she told me seriously, but her sedate tone only caused me to giggle more.

"I wish I could be like you: carefree, even in a place like this." she said wistfully, brushing at some stray hairs that had fallen onto my forehead. "It's been so much easier, having you here… having someone to share with."

"Definitely." I agreed, my lips still curved into a smile.

"I wish we could share more." she said softly, her hand sliding gently down the side of my face, across my shoulder, then down my arm to my waist. Alarm bells began going off in my head, but before I could say anything, Norei's forehead was touching mine, her eyes capturing my gaze.

"Princess…" she whispered. "Let me share with you." Her eyes were half-closed, yet I witnessed a vulnerability behind them that I had never seen from her before.

"Norei…" I tensed and she sensed my reaction, pulling back slightly.

"It's because of Lord Zoltar, isn't it?" she asked knowingly. "I will be gentle. Your pleasure is all I want…"

"No, it's not that…" I bit my lip, wondering how best to phrase this. "I love you, Norei, I really do…"

"Then let me love _you_." she said simply.

"I love you like a_ sister_." I tried to explain. "As for my heart, there is someone who has it in their keeping… even if we'll never see each other again."

"Your Commander." Norei said knowingly, surprisingly not seeming at all offended. "The way you speak of him… I had wondered…"

"I'm not worthy of him," I revealed, tears slipping down my cheek, "but still, I can't let it go…"

"What we do here and now is_ ours_." Norei said quietly. "It has nothing to do with your Commander, or how he will feel about you when we escape."

"It has to do with how _I_ feel about me." I said. "Even if I know Mark and I can never be together, in my heart… we are. I don't want to be with anyone but him… even if that means I am with no one."

"I see…" Norei's eyes closed, and she sat back in a disappointed slump.

"Norei, if I were ever to consider… another type of sharing, you would be my first choice."

"That is acceptable." Norei nodded. "I can live with that."

"I hope so." I told her gravely. "I would hate to lose you as a friend… and sister."

"As would I." she agreed. "We won't let that happen, then."

"No."

88888

I was somewhat worried that Norei would distance herself from me as a result of my rejection of her proposal, but as it turned out, nothing changed between us. Apparently she had taken my feelings in stride, because we remained close and there was no awkwardness when we interacted.

On the second morning after we had managed to get our hands on the kitchen knives, we moved on to our next work assignment. Norei and I were both assigned to the manufacturing plant, and so was Fanel. The power reduction was still in place, and we surmised that it would be for some time, based on the announcement that we wouldn't have another shower for two tennights. I was nearly finished with my makeshift bomb.

The time was right for escape.

I guessed that I needed three days to finish the bomb. Tentatively we set our escape attempt for the fifth day of our tennight work assignment. But on the second day, something happened that lent an entirely new urgency to our plans.

I was working at my usual station when an announcement was made that I was to leave the room. Nervously I looked around, seeking answers that no one around me could give. Why had I been called in the middle of the day? Whatever the reason, it couldn't possibly be a good one. The sight of Enerwalls in the corridor, even during this time of power reduction, gave me even more reason for concern. I was filled with trepidation as I marched down the hallway.

When I realized that my destination was indeed the interrogation room, my heart contracted in fear. I couldn't deal with this now… it was too much… Yet the unyielding Enerwalls forced me to continue. I did my best to steel myself for another of Zoltar's assaults… and as such was mentally unprepared when I entered the chamber to discover that the usual metallic chair was not present.

The floor was completely bare, but the Enerwalls herded me to the center of the room, then enclosed me in a small box so narrow it required me to stand. I wiped my face clear of emotion. Whatever was to come, I didn't want to give Zoltar the satisfaction of witnessing my fear.

Adrenaline pumped through my veins, setting my nerves tingling. Every part of me was on edge, waiting for the axe to fall. Yet when Zoltar finally entered the room, I was completely unprepared for what I saw.

He wasn't alone.

Zoltar was escorting a tall man with a brownish-grey, leathery face. He was dressed in a white jacket that might have been considered 'dashing' in some galactic fashion circles, although the accompanying horned cap would have been deemed hideous by any fashionista's judgment. There was no way I could forget this man. Captain Doom was the ruler of the planet Urgos, yet another world with designs for the Federation and its many resources.

"There she is, Doom!" Zoltar boasted to his companion, sweeping his arm out in a magnificent gesture designed to incorporate my force field prison. "The Swan of G-Force!"

"Truly impressive." Captain Doom murmured, a strange grin creeping across his leathery face. "But are you certain she's the one? Is it _truly_ the Swan, or is this some kind of Federation trick?"

"Come now, Captain, you saw the trial footage." Zoltar harrumphed in a slightly offended manner. "This is the Swan. There can be no doubt. I managed to capture her personally, and we have held her here on Spectra ever since."

"Did you do any DNA testing?" Doom enquired.

"Of course!" Zoltar replied exuberantly, before mumbling to himself. "Not that we had anything to compare it to…"

"And you learned…?"

"Her heritage is Komedran."

"Which, as I recall, she told you during the trial. What else? Is there anything that makes her _special_? Anything that would explain why she has been made a member of G-Force?"

"Not that we have been able to determine." Zoltar appeared distinctly uncomfortable.

"Let me examine her." Doom decided. "Remove these silly force fields and we shall see if this is truly the Swan."

"Are you mad?" Zoltar gasped. "The Enerwalls are the only thing keeping her under control! If you want any doubt that she is G-Force, just ask the numerous soldiers she killed at Spectran Military Headquarters during her trial!"

"I could hardly ask them if they're dead, now could I?" Doom pointed out with callous logic. "Oh, very well, have it your way!" The Captain approached my makeshift cell, peering through the blue Enerwalls at my face. He seemed to be staring rather intently, his expression unreadable. For my part, I maintained my expressionless demeanor, not willing to reveal anything to either this man or Zoltar. Doom seemed to examine me closely for a long time, walking around my improvised cage and observing me from all angles. After what felt like an eternity, he circled back to my front and looked me straight in the eye.

"So, Princess," he murmured smugly, "how does it feel, being contained in there? Knowing that Urgos and Spectra are becoming allies, ready to crush the arrogant Federation beneath our bootheels?" His eyes flickered over my face, and it was a struggle not to respond.

"The Federation is destined for defeat, my dear." Doom smiled confidently. "You should feel fortunate to be where you are. The remainder of your teammates will not be so lucky. They are to be executed on the spot. No more 'trials'… oh no. Yours ended very badly for the Spectran Empire, and we don't need another fiasco of that nature. Better if they are simply 'killed in battle' wouldn't you say?"

I knew he was bluffing. I _knew_ it. And yet, I couldn't help the slight tremor of fear that filtered through me at his words.

"All right, I'll accept your word that this is the Swan." the Captain declared suddenly, waving his hand magnanimously at Zoltar. "I've seen enough."

"I'm glad you agree." Zoltar replied, a flash of relief crossing his face. "So it is done then? The alliance will proceed?"

"Of course." Doom assured the Spectran Leader. "Between us, the Federation doesn't stand a chance."

"Of course it doesn't." Zoltar grinned viciously.

"I suppose I'll have fair access to this valuable prisoner?" Doom licked his lips. "After all, she might have all kinds of… information…"

"As you can imagine, we've already done everything we can to extract information from her." Zoltar replied blandly. "Yet she does possess _other_ qualities."

"Oh?" Captain Doom glanced back at me, and then over at the Spectran Leader, an excited curiosity lighting his beady, black eyes.

"I'd be happy to show her 'charms' to you, once the agreement is signed." Zoltar offered smugly. "I've had occasion to sample them myself, but would be willing to share them with a _true_ ally."

"That's a most intriguing offer." Doom replied, nodding eagerly. "Yes, I would be most interested in this facet of your proposal."

"Then let us discuss the matter further." Zoltar invited the Captain, raising his arm to usher him out of the room. The two exited and I let out a long, slow breath.

It was only when I was on the way back to my cell that I realized that Zoltar had not addressed me once during the entire encounter.

88888

When I got back to my cell I sank down onto my sleeping platform, attempting to process what had just occurred. Zoltar and Doom were allying against the Federation? That would be a grave blow indeed. Urgos had always had designs on the Federation, yet Captain Doom had never quite had the wherewithal to accomplish his goals in this regard. The closest they had come had been some time ago when Doom had launched an attack on Earth using some kind of robotic biplane. Once G-Force had defeated him and destroyed his base, he had run away with his tail between his legs, and had never been heard from since.

Had he simply been lying in wait all of this time, planning his next attack? Now he was joining with Spectra… G-Force had enough trouble maintaining an appropriate balance with Spectra as it was. This didn't look good. My fingers itched, longing for the communicator I had lost, desperate to relay this information to Chief Anderson. But I was powerless to do anything. There was no way for me to communicate with the outside world…

_Unless I escaped._

We were nearly ready. It had to be done _now_, while I still had the opportunity to pass on this information before it was too late.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. Was I truly ready for this? We had one chance. If we failed at escaping, there would be no other. We _had_ to get it right.

Absently, I pulled the makeshift bomb from my sleeve. I hadn't had a chance to add anything to it today, and had been forced to wipe all trentorium from my hands as I had left the manufacturing plant, being under special scrutiny. But was it good enough? The pad was almost completely black, having soaked the dangerous explosive into its core. Only a few greyish streaks along the edges indicated that perhaps a little more of the substance could be absorbed.

For comparison, I pulled out a fresh sanitary pad from one of the bags next to my sleeping platform. Looking at the two side by side, it was easy to get an idea of just how much explosive I had accumulated within my makeshift bomb. Nodding to myself, I slowly slipped the black pad back underneath my sleeve. I was about to replace the fresh pad when something else crossed my mind.

When was the last time I had used one of these for its intended purpose?

A sense of dread overcame me as I thought about it. There had been four work assignments… no, five… or was it six? It had been at least five or six tennights… fifty or sixty days.

No. Oh, no, no, no, no, no….

The implications of Zoltar's assaults on my person hadn't even crossed into this realm of possibilities, and yet here it was, staring me in the face. It had been nearly two months since I had last had my period.

What was I supposed to do about this? It was something I had never considered, much less planned for. What would happen to me once the Spectrans figured this out? No matter how baggy my clothes, I wouldn't be able to hide such a thing forever.

Escape was of even more importance now. I had to get out of here before this was discovered. But what about the Federation? How would Chief Anderson react to the news? What about…?

My heart contracted as I thought about Mark. Whatever slim chance there had still been for us, it was completely dashed now. He would never be able to look at me, look at my child, without knowing and remembering who had fathered it. I was on my own.

As soon as these thoughts passed through my mind, I instantly recognized the underlying feelings behind them. Certainly I was devastated by this news, and the thought of my Commander's reaction, and yet… I wanted this child. Something in me had already risen up, determined to protect it, keep it from harm and raise it with the mother's love I had never experienced. Whatever happened, this baby was _mine_.

"Don't you worry, little one…" I whispered, my hand resting lightly on my stomach. "I'll figure something out…"

It was the only option I had.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

When Norei returned to the cell with our dinners a short time the following evening, I urged her to move up our schedule. We could enact our escape plan on the following day, rather than in three days.

"What's the rush?" she asked, eyeing me warily.

"I have to contact my people." I told her. "There's been a development… Zoltar is making new allies. I need to inform them as to the situation." Norei nodded slowly, eyeing me carefully as if she wasn't entirely certain of my reasoning. Yet after a long moment, she finally agreed… to the day _after_ tomorrow.

"If you think your explosive device is ready to go, then that's good enough for me. I'll inform Fanel in the morning." Norei stated, settling the matter. "She has a third of our stain remover bags. She will need to bring them with her. She can do this the day after tomorrow."

I nodded, knowing that it was the best I could hope for.

Still, it chafed to wait one more day, although it did allow me to add one final dose of trentorium to my bomb. It was ready. I was ready. Norei was ready.

Now or never.

Two days after I had been displayed like a prize trophy before Captain Doom, I arrived in the manufacturing plant at my workstation. As we had hoped, the power reduction was still in place, and the reactor was only operating at half capacity. This was important, as the extent of the explosion had to be enough to take out the reactor, but not to endanger any of the women inside the manufacturing plant.

I had contrived to obtain a workstation as close as possible to the reactor, yet rather than being secure in the knowledge that our plan had the optimal chance, I felt unnerved by its presence. The glowing energy generator loomed over me, seeming almost to taunt me with its malevolent aura. I did my best to simply concentrate on my 'work' as normal, but it took far more focus that I usually required.

In what was approximately the middle of the day, the guards in the control room were brought lunch. Although the prisoners did not get a break from their work assignments, the guards relaxed during this time. After their meal they tended to be somewhat lethargic; we could see them lounging through the clear glass wall that separated their control room from the main manufacturing plant.

It was at this time that they were most vulnerable.

Carefully I pulled my makeshift bomb out of my sleeve, then peeled off the paper backing over the sticky side of the sanitary pad.

"Everyone, take cover!" I shouted. My arm arced, throwing the blackened pad at the reactor. My aim was true, and the pad stuck to the glowing machinery.

Just as I ducked down, the bomb exploded. The greenish-yellow light from the reactor faded, and smoke poured out, obscuring my view. The lights in the manufacturing plant surged, then died, as their power source was eliminated. Dim green luminescence was visible from painted emergency information on the walls. For my cerebonically-enhanced eyes, it was more than enough.

"Everyone into the corridor!" I cried, sweeping my arm toward the exit. Fanel and Dimal began herding the other women forward. I didn't know if there might be any secondary explosions, due to the trentorium reserves at everyone's individual workstations, and I wanted to minimize prisoner casualties.

Yet the corridor wasn't my destination. My eyes narrowed as I focused on my goal: the control room. The female prisoners were used to taking orders and obeying instantly. They had taken cover from the blast, as I had instructed. On the other hand, the soldiers who guarded us were slow and indolent. It was clear that they had simply stood in place, gaping at the reactor as it had exploded. The glass separating the control room from the manufacturing plant was cracked, but not completely broken. I ran forward, grabbing an unarmed missile as I ran and throwing it full force into the weakest point in the web of cracked glass. The wall broke open with a shattering rain of sharp-edged particles, and I leapt through the makeshift portal I had newly created.

It had been only seven seconds since I had initiated my escape plan.

The guards were stunned, but not so much that they didn't immediately begin raising their rifles. Prepared, I pulled one of the old Gattan pouches from my other sleeve, squeezing it tightly to spray the faces of the men closest to me. They fell to the floor, clawing at their eyes. I felt a thud beside me, and turned to see Norei performing a similar maneuver to my left. A guard approached from my other side and I whirled, catching his jaw with my heel, breaking his neck and separating it from his skull. Two more guards approached me but I lashed out with my fists, knocking them out with a strength that surprised me, given how long it had been since my fighting skills had been appropriately used. Norei was using her knives to great effect, downing guards before they even knew what had hit them.

"That's all of them!" Norei cried. Together, we gathered up all of the rifles. I tossed one to Norei and moved back into the manufacturing plant with the others. Various boxes of trentorium at the individual workstations were exploding, and I dodged my way through my self-made minefield to the exit, where the others were waiting, Norei close behind. The corridor was lit with a strange red light, coming from emergency illumination devices implanted at ten meter intervals in the corners where the walls met the ceiling. It wasn't much, but it was enough to see by, and my implant had already begun to filter out the overlying color, to distinguish others.

"Here." I tossed rifles to Dimal, Fanel and Partov, passing the others to women who appeared composed enough to use them appropriately, but keeping one for myself.

"We're leaving this place." I announced to the others, as Norei stood beside me in silent support. "The power's out, so there are no Enerwalls right now. Fanel knows the way to the hangar. All of you are welcome to join us, but if you'd rather stay here, you're more than welcome to do so." I turned around, heading down the corridor. I didn't rotate my head back to look, yet I sensed that none of the women were willing to stick around. As quickly as I could, I led the three dozen women to laundry facilities, then added the four prisoners there to our ragtag group. Dimal and Fanel took the lead, while Norei remained in the middle of the group, and I brought up the rear with the four new women, explaining what was happening. There was only one more stop before we went to the hangar. We had to free the eight women who had been on duty in the kitchen.

When we reached the Dining Hall, Fanel went inside to collect the other women. No sooner was she gone than we heard male shouts coming from the opposite direction down the corridor. It was clear that we had a group of guards coming to greet us.

"Let me to the front!" I cried, doing my best to push forward through the sea of fearful women, but I was unable to reach my destination. The women at the front had panicked, running into the cafeteria, following Fanel. Norei and I were swept along with them, being given little choice as to our movement as we were trapped amongst the crowd.

"Stop!" I shouted. "It's better to fight them in the corridor!" Yet no one listened. Norei's eyes met mine, and without words we were able to formulate another plan. We could still force the guards to fight in cramped quarters if we could hold them off at the doorway. Once we had entered the Dining Hall, we became free from the crowd and took up spots on either side of the entrance.

Guards in the hallway caught sight of us, and began rushing forward. But Norei and I raised our weapons, shooting indiscriminately in their direction, felling every man who approached us. After perhaps twenty seconds they fell back, the passageway littered with Spectran dead.

"That was too easy." Norei muttered. "They're planning something."

"Probably trapping the corridor ahead." My mind raced through the possible scenarios. "At least, that's what I'd do. If they can blockade us in here, that's good enough. They can wait for reinforcements to arrive."

But I wasn't Spectran, and there was no way I could have anticipated the guards' reaction to our defensive posture. Without warning, the wall to my left exploded, perhaps three meters away, sending concrete blocks and chunks of plaster flying into the room. The force of the blast threw me to the ground, and as I struggled to rise, I saw Spectrans pouring through the makeshift entrance into the room. Though the only illumination was from the red emergency lighting, my cerebonically enhanced vision allowed me to see that while some of these men wore the blue uniform of prison guards, the majority were dressed in the green uniform of the Spectran military.

Reinforcements had arrived.

I scrambled to my feet, just in time to avoid laser fire from a prison guard to my right. I lashed out with a roundhouse kick, knocking the gun from his hand and bashing him in the jaw. A green-uniformed soldier rushed at me, but I stopped him with a side kick to the gut. Yet still more approached. My G-Force training kicked in, and I whirled, dealing out blows on all sides, confusing those who attacked me even as I felled them where they stood.

Even through the mess of combat, I was able to catch a glimpse of the others as I fought. Norei was fending off her own set of opponents. Throughout the room, women struggled with soldiers with varying degrees of success. I noticed Thanto herding some of the women into the kitchen, away from the fighting.

Despite the fact that the soldiers all had rifles, there was very little gunfire. I guessed that the close quarters made such attacks more difficult: you were just as likely to hit an ally as an enemy.

For a brief moment, it almost seemed like we were gaining the upper hand. Between the seven of us who were from the 'center table', we were slowly taking out our opponents, while the other women were generally able to hold their ground. I allowed myself to hope… and then another horde of soldiers began pouring through the broken wall. But there was something different about these new arrivals. They were wearing another type of mask, over top of the usual green, fanged cap with which I was familiar. This new device covered their noses and mouths.

"Gas!" I shouted, recognizing what was about to happen. Sure enough, swirls of purplish vapor began to emerge from the ventilation system, its color deepened by the red emergency lighting. I had no idea what kind of gas it was, but I knew it couldn't be good.

Around the room, women had heard my warning and were looking up to see the threat. They began running for the kitchen, some of them stumbling as they moved. I grabbed one woman who was crawling on the ground, realizing that it was Genalla. We ran to the kitchen, which from my viewpoint still seem to be free of the gas. Just as we got to the door, something grabbed my arm. I pushed Genalla through the exit, then turned quickly, catching my assailant by surprise. I slammed the heel of my palm upward and into his nose, causing his gas mask to fall off. I reached out and snatched the mask as it fell, kicking the surprised guard where it hurt most. He crumpled to the floor.

More soldiers were approaching my position and I saw no more standing women, although a few prisoners' bodies lay unmoving on the ground. Quickly I barreled through the door into the kitchen, and the moment I was inside the others there began barricading the entrance with boxes of supplies.

"The air is safe in here." Norei told me. "The kitchen has an isolated ventilation system, and it is controlled from this room. That's the good news."

"Let me guess… the bad news is that there are no other exits?" I asked, my eyes scanning the group. From what I could see, we were missing about ten women, including Karaht, Merei and Thanto.

There were some loud bangs on the door, causing us all to jump, but once the soldiers realized that the entrance had been barricaded, the noise ceased.

"We can't stay in here for long." I declared. "They're going to find a way in here at any moment. And every hexon we are here only gives reinforcements more time to arrive."

"So what do you suggest?" Norei asked. Her voice wavered momentarily, but her face was like granite.

"We have to bust out of here." I told everyone. "We can't do it without gas masks. Norei and I will go back out there, dealing with the guards and gathering as many masks as we can. Then we will _all_ make a break for it."

"How are you going to fight them in that gas?" Partov questioned.

"I'll take my chances." I said, tossing the gas mask still in my hand to Norei. "Norei can use this." She stared at me, her eyes wide with surprise. For a brief moment she looked as if she wanted to return the mask to me, but then she slowly nodded, sliding it over her mouth and nose.

"I want to go with you." Dimal volunteered. "Even without a mask, I can help." It was clear from the expression on her face that she knew what she was signing up for.

"Nothing would honor me more." I told her. "But I need you to stay here, with Fanel. If Norei and I do not return, it will be up to_ you_ to protect Fanel, so that she can lead everyone to the hangar."

"I understand." Dimal nodded, disappointment and relief warring on her face.

Norei stood up, strapping on the gas mask and picking up a rifle. I grabbed a gun as well, and as quietly they could, the other women opened a narrow pathway through the barricade to the door.

"On 3." I mouthed at Norei, who nodded silently. Holding up my fingers, I counted down. 1…2…

On 3 we burst out into the Dining Hall. I grabbed a deep breath of clean air before being immersed in the purplish gas. The instant I was inside the Dining Hall, I let loose with my rifle, blanketing the area with laser fire. The soldiers, surprised, fell quickly, but men in the back were able to take some cover. They returned fire, and I felt a sharp, burning pain in my left arm. Ignoring my injury I shot back, taking out two more opponents.

By this time my lungs were bursting, and I was forced to exhale. Two more soldiers jumped out at me from the right, and I was forced to take a quick breath as I elbowed one in the solar plexus and kicked the other's throat. Time seemed to slow down as my body felt languid… melting…

I fought the sensation, reaching for the gas mask on one of the fallen men. But I was achingly slow. Too slow…

"Here." Something was shoved over my mouth and nose, and my mind began to clear. I blinked and Norei's face came into focus.

"Thanks." I mumbled.

"I'm glad you're still with us." Norei said. "I'd hate to have to shoot you." I almost smiled, then realized she was being serious.

"You'd really do that?" I asked, surprised.

"I would never leave you to the 'tender mercies' of these men." Norei declared.

"Thanks…" I realized that this was her way of showing loyalty. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that… for either of us."

"It won't if we leave now." she urged. I nodded, pulling myself to my feet. My left arm hung limply at my side, and the baggy sleeve of my shirt was dark with blood.

"Can you go on?" Norei asked sharply.

"I'm fine. It's nothing." I told her, and she nodded respectfully, innately understanding what I had left unspoken.

I had no choice but to go on. It was either that, or die.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Together Norei and I gathered as many gas masks as we could and went back into the kitchen. An expression of relief crossed the other women's faces as we returned. Quickly, Norei began passing out the gas masks, while I grabbed a couple of dish towels to bind my wound and fashion a makeshift sling. Either my fear or my adrenaline was acting as a painkiller just then, because I barely felt anything.

I noticed that a large box of knives was lying on the floor. It was mostly empty and had clearly already been ransacked. I grabbed one of the remaining knives and pushed it into my sling.

"Let's go!" Norei called, and I nodded.

"I think we should leave the way that the guards came in." I suggested. "We should be able to bypass some potentially booby-trapped stretches of corridor that way."

"I agree." Norei jerked her head sharply toward the exit. "Everyone, come on!"

Carefully we picked our way through the gas-filled room, stepping over the bodies of downed soldiers and the wreckage of what had once been eating tables and benches. Everyone looked around anxiously, clearly unnerved by the gruesome sight. Here and there, among the bodies, was one of a prisoner. It was clear that all of these women were beyond any help. I forced myself to look at them and remember their faces. They had deserved better than this.

But for now, all I could do was to protect the three dozen or so women who were following my lead. I had promised to get them to the hangar, and I darn well intended to do just that.

We left the dining hall via the hole in the wall, entering what looked like some kind of supply area, then moved into a series of administrative offices. Fanel took over at this point, bringing us through these rooms, avoiding the corridor for as long as she could. For the most part, these chambers were empty, but Norei did I were quickly able to deal with the few soldiers we encountered.

It occurred to me that this was a rather large prison facility, given how few women had been held at this place. So many offices… could it be that something else was going on here? Something besides housing four dozen female prisoners and a munitions manufacturing facility?

I didn't have any time to ponder these thoughts, as we finally reached the end of our 'free ride' and we were forced into the corridor. Gingerly I stepped through the last doorway, every one of my senses alert for a trap. Yet there was nothing. Even the gas had dissipated somewhat, although I wasn't about to test that theory by removing my mask. I noticed that no one else seemed to want to take off their masks either.

We moved down the passageway in a tight-knit group, everyone anxiously checking for signs of danger.

"Not too much further." Fanel whispered. "But we have to pass through there." She pointed down a corridor that was blocked by a set of double doors. I hadn't seen anything like this before. Could it be access to another wing of this facility? Was it possible that there were even more prisoners here?

Taking a deep breath, I nodded at Norei. She held up fingers, counting to 3, mirroring my actions from the kitchen. When she reached 3, we quickly and quietly opened the doors.

The other side was indeed a separate area of the facility, the harsh metallic corridors with which I was so familiar replaced by white plastered walls and industrial carpeting, all blanketed by the red wash of the ever present emergency lighting. But what caught my attention first was the platoon of Spectran soldiers we surprised on the other side.

Norei and I each got off one or two shots before they swarmed us and it became too close a range to use our rifles. We descended into a free-for-all, brawling and fighting in the close quarters of the narrow corridor. I pulled my knife from my sling, thrusting, slashing, and kicking, felling as many soldiers as I could while Norei did the same. Between us, we made a pretty effective blockade for the women behind us. At our sides, Partov and Dimal sprayed stain remover at the faces of the few men who tried to squeeze past our front defenses.

Just as I had thought we were finally about to overcome this latest obstacle, an alarm began to sound. The whooping siren rang in my ears, seeming to strangle my ability to think clearly. Purplish gas began billowing in from the air vents, just as it had in the Dining Hall, and I was glad I had held onto my mask.

The few remaining soldiers turned to flee, but Norei and I shot them down where they stood.

"Quickly!" I told everyone. "Now that they're on the alert, we must hurry!"

No one disputed my order, and we began running through the hallways, the blaring alarms dogging our every step. We encountered a few soldiers, but no more than two or three at a time, and between us Norei and I were perfectly capable of handling such obstacles. Our feet pounded on the floor, never slowing our pace, so desperate were we for salvation. It was likely only a few hexons before we reached the hangar, yet felt like hexors to my adrenaline infused brain.

"Through there!" Fanel told us excitedly. "The hangar!" The women in our motley group cheered up noticeably now that we had arrived at our destination.

The door into the hangar looked like all of the other doors we had seen, except that this one had an access panel. I muttered angrily under my breath when I recognized its design.

"Genetic scanner." I explained to Norei, who glanced sharply at me. "It needs the proper DNA code to activate. I've cracked these before, but I've had the proper tools, and two good hands." I glanced down at my wounded arm in frustration.

"We can get past it." Norei replied as confidently as she could.

"I'll do my best." I promised her, moving forward to examine the pad. But Norei held out her hand, to prevent me from proceeding.

"Let me try." Norei said. She pulled something out of her sleeve, pressing it against the access panel. It looked like… a used sanitary pad?

I grimaced in mild disgust, somewhat confused. But then Norei turned to me and grinned, as the device scanned the pad and hummed approvingly.

"Lord Zoltar: access granted." intoned a robotic voice. My mouth formed a round 'o' of surprise as I realized what was on the pad.

"You remember, the night you returned, your face covered in blood…" Norei murmured.

"I didn't realize you had kept that." I replied, still slightly in shock.

"I thought it might turn out to be useful." Norei shrugged.

But there was no further time for communication, as the door to the hangar opened, letting us inside. The lighting in this enormous chamber was the full, bright illumination that we were used to in the prison area, and our eyes took a second to adjust, having become accustomed to the red emergency lighting in the corridor. The blaring alarms were no longer present, and for a few moments the silence sounded strange to my ear.

I hadn't expected the hangar to be so massive. Walls extended for what seemed like a kilometer on either side of us, and the ceiling was almost as high. I could see ships and robots of all sizes occupying the immense chamber, and immediately I began searching for one that would be appropriate for our needs. Very quickly I located a small troop transport off to our right, capable of deep space flight.

It was perfect… except for one thing. At that very moment the adjacent ship was unloading a large group of Spectran soldiers.

The men started at us in shock for a moment. I can only imagine how surprised they were to see a group of ragtag women in shapeless grey clothing inside their military hangar. But they quickly recovered themselves, and their Captain began shouting out orders.

"We're going to give them some trouble, then make a run for it." I told everyone. "In the meantime, take cover and wait for my signal."

The troops were too far away to shoot accurately, but I didn't want to wait for them to approach us, since the other women would make easy targets. Fanel and Dimal herded everyone behind a large vessel, keeping a watch out for the other soldiers. Norei and I ran forward, staying as much behind the other spacecraft as we could, keeping our rifles trained on the men. I aimed for the Captain, knowing that if he went down, the other men would be confused as to how to proceed.

A sharp ping behind me announced that the soldiers had begun firing. I ducked down, shooting my own gun at the Captain. I was gratified to see his body fall, slumping to the floor. As I had anticipated, the Spectran troops in his squadron broke down into a chaotic mess. Unfortunately, that chaotic mess resulted in all of them firing rapidly at our position. Norei rolled behind the leg of a large animal robot, while I dove for cover behind a small space fighter. Laser bullets fell around me, ripping apart the metal side of the fighter and causing small explosions from its fuel tank. I edged along the vessel's side, assessing my options.

There weren't many. I was completely pinned down, unable to fight back. If I only had some kind of grenade, or explosive device to throw…

I didn't have anything to throw… but what about these ships? Many of them had some serious armaments: enough to cause trouble. Unfortunately, the fighter I was hiding behind wasn't going to last much longer. But perhaps the one next to it…

I rolled around the far end of the space fighter, coming to my feet and leaping for the next plane. Luck was with me briefly, as I found the cockpit hatch unlocked. I scrambled inside, activating the systems and depressing the firing button. Instantly a spray of gunfire blanketed the area, sending the soldiers flying for cover just as I had been forced to do a few moments before. I saw Norei leap up, taking advantage of the distraction and eliminating a few stray soldiers that fled in her direction.

I tensed slightly, ready to fire again in a more controlled burst, when a movement caught the corner of my eye. One of the soldiers was standing off to the side, holding a large device on his shoulder. Was that a…?

I popped open the hatch and dove out of the fighter plane on pure adrenaline just as the rocket-propelled grenade struck the front of the spacecraft. In my haste I landed badly, slamming my right thigh onto the ground, my foot twisting beneath my body. Fortunately, nothing seemed to be broken, but sharp spikes of pain lashed through me when I attempted to stand. The flames from the burning fighter next to me scorched the air, sending waves of heat rippling past my body. I struggled to my feet, limping forward, my left arm hanging loosely at my side, as it had fallen out of its makeshift sling. Amazingly, I had managed to retain hold of my rifle in my right hand. Only a few soldiers remained, and for the most part they seemed focused on Norei. If I could just take out a couple more…

But just as I was about to aim, I heard a low rumble coming from my left. I turned, the blood draining from my face as I saw the source of the sound. Another large group of soldiers was coming toward us, approaching from the far side of the hangar, but they were moving fast… right toward the group of women I had sworn to protect. "Go!" I hissed at Dimal and Fanel, waving toward the empty transport I had selected earlier. "Get inside! I'll stay here."

"But…" Fanel glanced at my limp arm, my twisted ankle.

"I'll be fine." I told her. "Just get into that transport, before these guys change their minds and decide that you're a better target than I am." She nodded curtly, then did as I had asked. Dimal bowed her head briefly as I passed her by, in a gesture of respect. While I appreciated the sentiment, it did little to buoy my spirits. The truth was, I was far from full strength, and I was facing close to a hundred Spectran troops, all of whom were coming right toward me. I didn't have the protective benefits of my G-Force uniform, and I had no weapons other than my borrowed laser rifle, which was exactly the same as the ones my hundred opponents were all carrying. The odds definitely weren't in my favor.

But perhaps if Fanel and Dimal could get the other women inside and start the transport, then maybe I could jump aboard and we could make good on our escape. Right now, it was the only hope I had.

Grimly I raised my rifle, ready to fire. The other women had gotten away, and the troops were almost within a reasonable range. I wasn't going to be able to take many of them down, but if I could pull their attention to me…

My eyes fell upon a space fighter similar to the one I had used only a few moments ago. It was too far away for me to run to right now, as the approaching troops had almost reached it. But perhaps…

Carefully I aimed my rifle, then began continuous fire, shooting at the section of the spacecraft where the fuel tanks were located. It took a few moments for the area to heat up sufficiently for my purposes, but that was exactly how long it took the main body of approaching soldiers to reach the spot. The space fighter's fuel tank exploded, sending out flames and debris into the adjacent troops, cutting a wide swath among them. But there were still too many. Far more than I could handle on my own.

Yet I had accomplished my goal. They were all running in my direction, shouting at me, raising their rifles… and most importantly, ignoring the other women. Seeing as I had gotten their attention, I dove quickly behind the robot next to me, taking cover as a hail of laser fire came down on my former position. The men continued to approach and I took potshots at them. I downed a few, but the real purpose of my action was simply to maintain their focus on me, so that the others would have more time.

Time was something I was fast running out of. The Spectran soldiers were only a few meters away now, and one of them was throwing a grenade. I dove out of the way, ignoring the pain in my leg as I rolled out of the blast radius. Unfortunately, this meant that I was now out in the open, and the soldiers swarmed me. I had one good arm and one good leg and I used them to the best of my advantage, but it was a losing battle. Any soldier who went down was quickly replaced by two more, and it wasn't long before I felt a stabbing agony passing through my right leg. Something hit my head, and blood ran down my face. No longer able to stand, I crumpled to the ground, my rifle ripped from my hand.

This was it. My life had come down to this moment. I closed my eyes, unwilling to give the Spectrans the final victory of seeing my pain.

Without warning, the ground shook, tossing me around on the floor and causing some of the men to fall, based on the thuds and curses that filled the air around me. My gas mask fell from my face and I opened my eyes once more, but everything seemed to exist in a red haze. The soldiers were moving away from me… running back in the direction from which they had originally come. I no longer had the strength to question what was happening and my eyes closed again, but the sounds of battle poured over me: shouts, laser fire, screams of pain and suffering. It was the sound of my life, the sound of my duty. Now it was the sound of my death.

The noise dimmed, and I recognized that I was losing my tenuous grip on consciousness. Yet still I held on, desperately clinging to a life that was over, refusing to admit defeat, even now. Just a few more seconds…

As I grasped for those seconds, I found strength returning to me. Was it my cerebonics, making a last-ditch effort to save me? But no, the strength was around me, surrounding my body, lifting me up from the ground. I felt a gentle touch on my face, pulling me back from the edge, urging me to hold on…

"Princess…"

I smiled, opening my eyes to find the person I had most wanted to see. Now I knew that my life was truly gone, but at least we would spend eternity together.

"Mark…"


	23. Epilogue

Epilogue

The G-Force Commander paced back and forth across the Bridge of the Phoenix, his bootheels drumming into the metallic floor, thudding with military precision and regularity. His mind grappled with the events of the past half hour, desperately trying to make sense of what, exactly, had just happened.

When he had first seen Princess lying on the floor of the hangar, in a pool of her own blood, he had thought she was dead. He had been too late, too late… But her body had still been warm, and as he had lifted her in his arms she had opened her eyes, murmuring his name before falling into unconsciousness once more.

Yet he had barely gotten halfway back to the Phoenix, its nose bursting through the opposite end of the hangar, half inside, half outside the Spectran base, when Princess had begun ranting. She had stared at him with unseeing eyes, using her right hand to grab at his wings, urging him to 'save them, save the others'. Sure enough, Jason and Keyop had discovered a group of more than thirty women, huddled together on a troop transport, being protected by a tough-as-nails blonde who had been nearly in as bad a shape as Princess. Somehow, Jason had convinced her to come with them, and all of the women had been taken aboard the Phoenix. Keyop was now seeing to their comfort, such as it was, while Tiny was piloting them all back to Earth.

The Commander had been frantic for months, and he couldn't stand _not knowing_ any longer. He turned, addressing the Pilot.

"If you need me, Tiny, I'll be in Sickbay."

Thirty seconds later, he was there, standing in the doorway, his eyes hungrily devouring the spectacle of Princess, lying unconscious on a sickbed. For eight months he had been longing to see her again, yet the sight of her now was nothing like he had envisioned or expected. Her pale, emaciated body appeared weak and feeble, almost too fragile to touch. Her once lustrous hair was lank and dull, matted with blood from the head wound that Jason had apparently just bandaged. Tattered grey clothing, streaked with blood and grime, hung on her spare frame, its baggy design only highlighting how little was left of her.

He could only imagine the hell she had been through. But she was back. That was all that mattered now.

Briefly, Mark let his eyes drift over to the other woman. Unlike Princess, she appeared lucid, her bright blue eyes glaring suspiciously at Jason as he bandaged her arm. She turned her gaze to the Commander, nodding briefly in reluctant recognition.

"So you are the Commander of G-Force." she noted dryly in the Spectran language. "It took you long enough to get here. Princess thought you would never come. We had to take matters into our own hands."

"It would seem that was a foolish idea." Mark noted, his eyes assessing the extent of the woman's injuries.

"Hardly." the woman responded, her eyes blazing while Jason's mouth twisted in wry amusement. "We were ready to leave the hangar. We would have already have departed, before you found us, but we were waiting for her…" The woman's head turned to look at Princess, her eyes softening.

"I guess she wasn't coming." the woman sighed.

"She wasn't in any shape to go anywhere when I found her." Mark agreed.

"We were so close…" the woman closed her eyes. "_She_ was the one who needed to escape. Not I…"

"So you were all prisoners?"

"Yes." The woman opened her eyes again, staring directly at the Commander. "We are all that is left of the Traitor's Prison."

"Left?"

"We killed all of the guards." the woman smiled coldly, before her expression turned angry. "But a dozen women fell when they gassed us…"

"Gassed you?"

"I thought we had failed." the woman admitted, her expression pained. "But Princess was so certain… She said we could get the gas masks from the guards… and we did."

"You mean these?" Jason held up a battered, black face mask.

"They kept us alive." the woman snapped defensively. "We had to make do with what we had. And it wasn't much."

"I can see that." Mark acknowledged. "It looks like you had to endure a great deal."

The woman stared at him in mild disgust.

"We haven't been formally introduced." the Commander said, attempting to backtrack as he sensed that things had somehow gotten off on the wrong foot. "I'm Mark, and this is Jason."

"I know who you are." the woman replied flatly. "You can put on all the fancy airs you want, but I still don't trust you."

"But you trust Princess." Mark reminded her.

"She has _earned_ my trust." the woman acknowledged.

"I'd like to earn your trust as well." Mark replied smoothly, stretching his diplomatic skills to the limit. "Perhaps you could start by telling me your name? I've given you mine."

"Norei." the woman replied. "And since we're being so open and trusting, tell me why you took so long to come. Princess was convinced that you had given up on her."

"I _never_ gave up on Princess." Mark replied quickly, with somewhat more intensity than he had intended. He quickly recomposed himself, but not before Norei's knowing eyes had taken in his slip.

"We didn't know where she was." he clarified. "We have been searching fruitlessly for months. Even the people on Spectra are unaware of this prison. We had no idea where to find Princess."

"What you say has some truth." Norei agreed. "So how did you find us, then?"

"We made a deal." the Commander admitted, ignoring Jason's scowl, recalling how unhappy his friend had been with the arrangement. "One of our former enemies agreed to approach Zoltar, offering an alliance. This former enemy learned Princess' location less than two days ago, and relayed the information to us. It took us this long to plan our rescue mission, given how deeply the prison was located within Spectran defenses."

"That's adequate." Norei nodded over at Princess. "I suppose she'll accept your feeble excuses as well." The Commander had some difficulty in maintaining a composed expression, but forced himself to remain calm.

"How is she doing?" Mark turned to Jason, refocusing his attention back on Princess.

"She's got a nasty head wound, a severe concussion, a broken arm, a sprained ankle and three laser bullet wounds." Jason catalogued. "I haven't had a chance to investigate any further than that."

"But she'll survive?"

"Of course she'll survive." Jason smiled reassuringly. "Princess is a survivor. She wouldn't have lasted this long if she weren't."

The Commander approached Princess' sickbed, taking her frail hand in his. He gazed down at her, sleeping peacefully despite all that she had endured for the past eight months.

Princess was home again. That was all that mattered.

**The End**


End file.
